102 – Report on the Fall of Kindness (12)
While Maria and Lily were attracting attention in the village, Cain went to a clearing planted with rosewood trees along the outskirts of the village. Ran.
If the two women caused a commotion and attracted the villagers, Cain planned to stimulate the trees in the vacant lot. She causes Roberta to be so confused that she reveals herself.
Even if the hunter does not show up, it is not meaningless. Just by greatly shaking up the villagers’ siege, you can guarantee safety and a chance to escape.
Perhaps, she might be able to find another exit other than the canyon.
But a plan is a plan. If even one of the three fails to do his or her job properly, the only thing left is death.
Even if Cain arrives at the clearing safely, if he cannot inflict any meaningful damage on the tree under her spell, if Roberta does not show up and deals with him with a stronger spell…
However, the three people did not have the time to look into that possibility or even the opportunity to obtain more information. Because they were already prey.
So, rather than doubting whether the answer they chose was correct or not, it was better to push for the correct answer.
It was a dangerous tightrope walk, but Maria and Lily did their best. The reason the two women, who had originally planned to act together, separated from each other was to attract at least one more villager.
‘Maria and Lily are doing their part well. I just have to do my part.’
Cain gathered her composure and continued on.
The ground was not touched. She crossed from branch to branch, jumped from tree to tree.
The ‘black forest’ was named so because it is so dense that not even sunlight can penetrate through it. As its name suggests, the spacing between trees was narrow and the branches were strong.
She is Cain, who grew up with trees since childhood. She can easily climb up a tree. Thanks to her stealth, tracking, stealth and infiltration skills honed in her Security Service, Cain moves as quietly and swiftly as a leopard stalking her prey.
However, she was not just able to move forward recklessly.
The villagers didn’t have a big problem. As befits a possessed person, they were insensitive to external stimuli. It was sensitive only to sight, and was insensitive to hearing and pain.
Cain was confident that she would not be caught by them. However, as she kept moving from tree to tree, birds flying around and wild animals jumping out, she couldn’t do anything about it.
Every time a bird took off or a rabbit ran away, people looked blankly toward the forest. At that time, Cain also had to stop. Then the villager laughed brightly, looked blankly toward the village where the commotion was taking place, and took heavy steps.
Every time she clung to the trunk, a question raised her head.
‘Why on earth is Roberta doing this?’
Judging from Henry’s words, it appears that Roberta already knew something about ‘witchcraft’ before coming here.
The fact that he ‘changed’ the old monk’s knowledge and experience to suit his own intentions also means that he was able to at least perform the basics.
In addition, looking at the reaction of Maria’s ‘mother’, it seems clear that Roberta’s witchcraft is heretical even by the standards of ‘traditional witchcraft’. When he saw Cain’s hands soaked in sap, didn’t he speak of ‘the blood of the tree’ and ‘the sin that cannot be washed away’?
‘Then where on earth did Roberta learn such a sin?’
Even Roberta belonged to a crusade filled with inquisitors and paladins. I couldn’t understand or understand how the witch survived in their midst.
Why do you do this? How could you do it? So what are you trying to do?
These are the first questions to think about when dealing with criminals. But Cain could not answer any of these questions.
I just run like the prey that catches the hunter.
* * * * *
Finally, Cain arrived at the clearing. The naked, enchanted rosewood trees were still unpleasant, even disgusting. It was like watching an animal that was skinned alive and jumping around.
At least last time, there weren’t any red blood vessels sticking out of the trunk. At that topic, the trees shed pale yellow honey. Instead of bees, large green flies were buzzing and licking up the honey.
Cain wrapped her arms and hands with a tablecloth and clothes he had stolen from a home’s yard. She didn’t want to experience the sap sticking again like last time. Especially if she is so poisonous that she needs to be purified by burning with witch’s fire.
She placed both hands on the tree that stood closest to her. To her displeasure, she felt a pulse in the tree. A thump, thump sound. The vibration of the heart beneath the ground.
As if it was displeased, the tree twitched its branches. The human face carved below has a twitching mouth shape. I look up at Cain through blackened eye sockets.
“Okay. “An unclean sacrifice has walked on its own feet on the altar.”
But the face that sprouted under the tree just glanced at Cain and did not do anything.
“Why? Didn’t the mere touch of her hand offend you? “It’s not like the bruises have even gone away.”
Her face still just glances at Cain. Cain kicked her in the face. Her face took on an arrogant frown. The branches sway menacingly.
“Okay. Catch me “Just try it!”
But that was about it. His face returned to its previous wide-open expression, as if he was not interested.
Perhaps it was because he didn’t touch her with his bare hands? Cain unwrapped the cloth covering her hands and smoothed the tree trunk with her bare hands. But this time too, nothing special happened.
Grumbling.
Cain took out her imperial sword. She casts her eyes upon Cain as a human face gazes upon a bug. Even the moment the imperial sword was struck between the eyes.
I was clearly hitting a tree, but it felt like I was hitting a dead, hanging fish. It feels like hitting the corpse of a freshly slaughtered pig hanging upside down with its skin removed.
The tree twisted its body. Braid the branches. A leaf falls as if striking Cain’s cheek. Two, three times. Cain hit down. However, the tree was only annoyed and did not spit out sap.
“Are you saying you have no interest in spoiled offerings?”
Cain ran to the tree that had spit out sap at him. The tree that attacked the knights, now broken. Like a lizard’s tail that has been cut off but sprouts a new one, the new sprout that has grown is wrapped in a translucent mucous membrane.
Cain blew away the sprout with the imperial sword. The trunk shakes and its roots shake like a whip. It seemed as if thousands of snakes were writhing beneath Cain’s feet.
I am embarrassed by the reaction, which is so different from before. He spat at her, kicked her as if to vent his anger, and even cut a small portion of her arm with the tip of her knife. I tried scattering the dripping blood, but the tree was just a hassle.
‘What should I do? ‘What should I do?’
It burned into Cain’s mind. She thought of Maria and Lily, who would be mobbed by the villagers. Roberta’s extremely kind appearance was followed by Brother Henry’s miserable final appearance.
‘A witch repays good deeds threefold and evil deeds threefold! So don’t just receive, and don’t just give. Big or small doesn’t matter. If you have received it, give it, and if you have given it, take it!’
A story told by Maria’s mother. But I don’t know what it means. Only the pain is vivid. The black fire symbol she drew with blood on Cain’s hand…
Cain held up the imperial sword. He drew a black pattern of fire on the broken tree trunk. The trunk was shaking. I look forward to what will happen.
But nothing happened.
“Why on earth!”
Cain screamed.
“Why, why is there no reaction! “Didn’t he hate it when I even touched him?”
The surrounding rosewood trees look at Cain. The way her mouth twitched seemed like she was holding back a laugh. Cain’s stomach turned just by looking at the silent gaze, the trees writhing leisurely as if teasing them, and the branches and roots that looked like pieces of peeled flesh with bluish and green tendons writhing.
Light twinkled on the other side. It is a sacred fire. As she had decided in advance to save her strength as much as possible, that light now probably meant that she was cornered.
Lose.
The forest is gradually losing its light. The clouds are eating away at the sun. Nevertheless, the shadow cast from Cain’s body became darker.
Lost.
Cain’s hands were shaking. The tip of the imperial sword shakes. She said she could do it. Just like the day she yelled at me to trust her. Beatrice trusted Cain. But Cain could not respond to that belief.
Again, right in front of your eyes.
The light was completely obscured. Darkness fell over the forest. The sound of leaves laughing as they rub against each other, the sound of friction that cannot be determined whether it is the wind or the sound of coquetry, before my eyes as it becomes increasingly dark.
– What should I do to receive something from a witch?
From behind the tree, a shadow flutters like the hem of a dress. A familiar figure appears. But the face is not visible clearly. Even if you don’t see it, Cain can tell.
“Beatrice?”
– Think about it, Kairos. What did she tell the witch she had to do to get something from her?
Beatrice was always like this. She never told me all at once. Rather than telling the person her answer, she encouraged the person to come up with her answer themselves. Sometimes, no, often, she found this frustrating.
But Cain remembered her answer. Because she was like that then and she always was.
She said, “If you give, you must receive, and if you receive, you must give.” No matter how big or small.”
– The same goes for witches. That’s right, she’s a gift. Give with the intention of receiving, and receive with the intention of giving…
“Like kindness?”
Beatrice was speechless. But she could feel that she was smiling softly.
– Yes. Like kindness. The reason people are kind to each other is because they want to be kind. Isn’t that why everyone hates unfriendly neighbors?
“Roberta is not friendly at all.”
Beatrice shook her head.
– No. Kairos. She is really kind. She is now being as kind as she can. Something that binds all three of you ‘as one’… That’s how we become one. That’s what she really wants.
“What if I refuse?”
– There is no such option. Because she will ‘persuade’. Just like ‘persuading’ Brother Henry. I will spend a lot of time persuading, persuading, and persuading again. That woman who cares for you, that woman who loves you…
“No!”
Cain shouted, swinging her sword. Beatrice, enveloped in darkness, was silent. Cain held her sword with difficulty. She had to come to her senses.
“No. We can’t stop here. It can’t end here! I need to know why this is happening and why Roberta is doing this! “We have to save Lily and Maria!”
– I didn’t save you.
Beatrice came closer. Her face was still not visible. But Cain stood on her own two feet.
“That’s why.”
Beatrice stopped walking.
“That’s why. I couldn’t save you. I tried to save it, but I couldn’t. I didn’t mean to do it. I couldn’t do it. “At that time, that was all I had.”
Cain forced her blurry eyes open. Beatrice’s form seemed to blur.
She said, “Every time I thought I wanted to die, I rolled over even more. I worked like crazy and ran without looking back. But what I lift every time after finishing work is… Just a feeling of skepticism. So. So what does this mean? This doesn’t mean you’ll come back alive. Beatrice. I am… “
She forces her head up. This is not something to be said while bowing down. You have to look straight ahead.
“I…” “I regret it.”
– I said that before. But so? So, what’s changed? Excluding the fact that it is the night streets of Veneruccia and the mountains of the Black Forest.
Once again, the light flashes. It’s a little more pronounced and heated than before.
“I have changed.”
– But it’s at a standstill, right?
“No.”
Cain recited firmly.
“I took a wrong turn last time, so I just came back. So I want to choose the right path this time. To go beyond. I said it. I regret it. It’s still the same now. But I don’t want to get caught up. “I don’t want to accumulate the same regrets.”
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For some reason, Beatrice seemed to be smiling.
– That’s funny. You’re talking to me, but you don’t want to be tied down.
“What does that mean?”
Beatrice shook her head as if she would not explain. Instead, I looked up at the sky.
– When is a gift not a gift, Kairos?
Cain knew the answer. This is a joke often exchanged among members of Beatrice’s faction. A gift that is not a gift.
“Maybe it’s when you get it when you don’t want it.”
– Now is the time. The reason those trees don’t care about you is because they’ve already got what they want. Sacrifice. Because two pure and righteous sacrifices entered that village on their own.
You said you wanted to know what was different from before. Earlier, the unclean and the clean were mixed together. But now they are separated. The unclean thing is here and now, alone and far away.
A tinnitus called beep struck Cain’s ears. Cain struck the ground with his imperial sword. I never thought it would have been a mistake to separate from each other and become bait.
“I have to go back…” !”
– It’s late. Kairos. Since the unclean thing has already fallen, it will prevent it from coming up to the altar. The two women will be sacrificed before your eyes. So, let me ask again. When will a gift cease to be a gift, Kairos?
Beatrice’s shadow came closer. Close enough to hold Cain’s hand.
– What is the most effective way to blaspheme something evil?
“When you offer an unwanted sacrifice… “
– Then give it to me.
Cain was convinced.
“Receive whatever you want to give. “Give what you want to receive.”
That is the rule. Rules for dealing with witches. So, even witches can’t escape that rule.
Roberta tries to be kind to them. And Cain must reject that kindness.
The method of refusal is simple.
Cain showing her kindness.
I approached the broken tree. She held the imperial sword briefly. Without going astray. So that the power of the grip is transmitted as is. So that I can finish it in one go.
I already know where to draw the line. Cain brought her sword to the side of her neck. Her veins flutter, crushed by her cold steel, radiating her presence.
A huge beam of light soared high into the sky.
Cain cut off her own head.
Unlike when she decapitated Beatrice, she did not make a mistake.
This time.