15. Snow Moon Flower – 09
Thus, they were able to succeed in subduing the witch who brought winter to the continent.
The endless winter that raged on the continent disappeared, and the sky I looked up to was filled with only the warm sunlight after a long time.
The happy ending that everyone hoped for even in their dreams.
However, among the members of the expedition who succeeded in subduing the ‘witch of winter’.
“…ka, in.”
Only, cold and chilly silence flowed.
“…why?”
In the final moments of the fierce battle, the Witch of Winter poured out countless powerful spells, whether it was for a final struggle or to make a companion to go to the underworld.
Its power was not enough to break down Ariel’s barrier, which temporarily activated ‘Guardian of Radiance’, and even threatened her life.
In a desperate situation where all the barriers protecting her were breached, right around the time when Ariel intuited her own death as she watched the shock wave of light rushing towards her at high speed.
– Ariel!
As if to embrace Ariel, there was a man who stood in her way.
…Memories after that do not exist to Ariel. When I came to my senses, the battle had already ended. However, if there is one thing that has changed from before-
“…ah.”
She, who should have died, survived, and someone died as if to replace him.
“…Ahh.”
At the last moment, the face that looked at her was smiling. Why was he laughing? Even though he knew he was going to die, why was he smiling so brightly while covering her? No, why did he embrace her when he promised not to intervene in battle? To the subject who said with his own mouth that he was a coward. He said with a smile that if something happened, he would immediately run away, but why did he embrace her and die instead? And at the last moment, what was the reason for calling him by his first name?
…But now, Ariel has been unable to resolve those questions forever.
Because, Cain von Estel is the price of saving Ariel Thiers life in a crisis.
“aagh-!”
Because he died instead of her.
“Cain, Cain-!”
Outwardly, his appearance was the same as usual, except that his eyes were closed. Although weak, warmth remained throughout the body, and there was no externally severe trauma anywhere. His appearance just seemed to be in a deep sleep.
…but the only difference is that you will never have to open your eyes again.
“Do not be ridiculous. Still, it’s not too late. I can’t count how many times I’ve healed a wound like this. I am a saint People I can’t heal don’t exist in this world…!”
Kneeling down, as if to atone for someone, Ariel constantly pours her divine power into Cain’s body. Cain’s body was wrapped in light, and the minor traumas that remained in his body began to heal rapidly.
However, it doesn’t work. Even the divine power that is said to be the most powerful under the ground, and the miracles that were famous for embodying the power of the goddess, remained only at her fingertips without showing their usual power.
“No, no, no-”
He still showed no sign of opening his eyes.
“It is a lie. weird, weird I’ve never been like this before, I could have healed anyone if I wanted to, but this isn’t it. Absolutely not. So you can save it. i don’t fail No, there is no way it will fail-!”
With a boiling roar, Ariel pushes the divine power even more strongly while ignoring the reality in front of her. However, in the end, the divine power did not exert any effect.
His body only grew colder and colder.
The mighty divine power that the celestial goddess boasted of as proof of her love, and the miracles that embodied all sorts of miracles on earth, were useless at this moment.
Divine power does not work only on him. His heart was still silent. The body temperature of his body was cooling down.
“…why, why the heck…”
In the end, Ariel held onto his body and cried.
hate. He’s just closing his eyes, but it looks like he’ll open them and wake up any minute.
In the end, she couldn’t open his tightly closed eyes.
“Please, no. help me. someone help me please…!”
Ariel’s face grew more sad. Everything she is feeling right now feels like a dream. There is a strange feeling that the reality she is feeling is slipping through her fingers like sand.
…Yes, this is a dream. The dream is clear. The miserable reality that he died in his place can’t be real-
“…Cain is not dead.”
dump.
Watching Ariel hugging Cain, who quietly closed her eyes, Bianca slumped down beside her. Bianca’s expression as she looked at Ariel somehow kept a blank expression.
“I’m not dead yet. not dead there’s no way I’ll die He can’t die this easily.”
As she said that, Bianca quietly touched Cain’s hand, which was hanging down. At his fingertips, there was still a small warmth that hadn’t dissipated.
“Look at this, it’s still warm. Also, I heard that the neck of the neck moved slightly a while ago. It’s true, I saw it. yes i was believing Ariel, hurry up and put more divine power into it. He’s exhausted right now with his eyes closed, and he’s sure to come to his senses sooner or later-“
“That thing from just before is rigor mortis.”
“…What?”
A cold voice echoed from behind Bianca, who was sitting on the floor and constantly thinking about something.
“In the human body, the muscles contract at the moment of death, and just before that, it was nothing more than the relaxation of muscles over time. Bianca del Castana, accept reality. He’s already dead-“
Unfortunately, Iris’s words did not carry on to the end. because.
Kwaang-!
At that moment, Bianca threw a huge fireball at Iris, and Iris had no choice but to keep her mouth shut as she tried to cut through the fire that was flying towards her.
“…Bianca del Castana. Have you finally gone mad? What the hell is this?”
As Iris raises her sword towards Bianca with a very cold gaze, Bianca too is not to be outdone by him, and a purple aura rises from her whole body. It could not be anything but a portent of a firm will to slaughter the enemy in front of him by raising all the mana in his body.
“Princess, why don’t you shut that mouth? Cain is not dead. He’s just closing his eyes. I am so tired that I am in a deep sleep. So if you talk nonsense about him dying one more time…”
“You’re talking nonsense, Bianca del Castana.”
Even with Bianca in front of her, her hair rising toward the sky, Iris continues her conversation without hesitation.
“How long are you going to ignore reality? He is dead. If he was still alive, there would be no reason why he wouldn’t recover after being healed by Ariel Thiers. Nothing will change if you lie and deny yourself that much. Your actions are nothing more than a deception to ease your mind.”
“Shut up! He’s not dead. Cain’s not dead!”
“If what I said is wrong, please try to argue against it once. It means that you should make a counterargument about where my words are wrong and where they are not right.”
At Iris’ words, Bianca only trembled, but in the end, she couldn’t resist. Because the fact that he died was a fact that everyone knew from the beginning.
“…You really are a cold-hearted person. How can a person do that? Cain, Cain became like this, but why-”
Asking how she could be so innocent, Bianca let out a moan that made no sense.
“…You are arrogant. Do you think that you are the only one grieving right now?”
Perhaps feeling something in Bianca’s words, Iris looks at her face with an expressionless face.
“You should know that too. We are not here to play. In other words, he is standing here with the promise of risking the life and death of mankind and risking his own life in the event of an emergency. Something like the resolution to face death, he must have already done it in the evening long ago. Now you are insulting his honor in the name of memorial service.”
“…An insult, an insult?”
At Iris’ cold words, Bianca takes a step towards her. Even if he nodded in agreement with any other words, he could not stand the words of the moment before.
“Do not be ridiculous. What is the importance of honor or anything like that? he’s dead that he died He can’t get up again. You can’t talk to me again. That you won’t be able to smile at me a second time. By the way, what about the honor and how-!”
Like a wounded animal, Bianca growls at Iris. Although he was about to hit Bianca at any moment.
Jureuk-
Bianca couldn’t raise her hand towards Iris as she saw a single ray of blood dripping down Iris’ lips.
“…..”
And no matter what anyone is saying or what situation is being staged, it doesn’t reach the ears of Ariel, who is carefully stroking his body. She was just blankly stroking the face of Cain, who was about to open his eyes.
“Sorry.”
Ariel was constantly apologizing like a broken doll, with a face that looked like she was going to cry at any moment.
“Sorry.”
When I first saw you, I’m sorry that I judged you based only on your appearance.
“Sorry.”
I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention to you during the whole trip.
“Sorry.”
I’m sorry I hurt your heart last night in the name of protecting you.
“Sorry.”
Even though I knew Bianca’s heart well, I’m sorry that I couldn’t finally tell you anything because of the dark feelings rising in my heart.
“…Sorry.”
At the last moment, you embraced me, but I am sorry that I cannot thank you for saving my life.
“Sorry.”
There are so many things I’m sorry for you and I have so many things to apologize to you, but I can’t really apologize to you, and even if I apologize, the person you are will no longer be able to accept my apologies-
It was so sad.
“Ooh, ah, aa-!”
The sound of wailing echoes all around.
I regret it. It’s just lamenting why he’s been grinding and polishing himself for the past 20 years. What is the representative of a goddess, and what is a saint? Although he tried so hard to help others, he hated himself for being incompetent and unable to even save a single person next to him.
At best, I didn’t put so much effort into reaching this conclusion.
All I wanted, all I really wanted was-
“…Cain…”
If only I could turn back time, if I could start all over again.
Only then will I be able to do what I really want to do. What my wish was, I’m sure you can realize it.
“…okay? You want to start all over again?”
And, it was at that time.
Towards Ariel, who had been crying out for help so much.
The only woman who held her hand on behalf of the goddess whispered a voice of salvation in her ear.
“Can I help you? There is only one way to make your wish come true.”
Her name is Kyrie el Denaris.
“Your atonement, your salvation, your hopes, and your lingering feelings, what would you do if I told you there was a way to undo everything?”
He was Ariel’s only angel of salvation who wanted to fulfill the repeated wishes of foolish depravity.