12. Holy Land? A pilgrimage?(2)
“Ya is a treasure trove?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a big deal. Is it okay for a lonely person to go to a place like this?”
“… … .”
Melineos, famous as the Empress of Magic.
However, the Yao tribe girl under her eyes seemed to be okay with that position and the authority derived from it.
“It could be a national problem, but… You are the Master. And, given that I’m in a position to ask you for a favor, how would you question something like that?”
“Draw? If so, don’t, have fun and have fun. I love it for eye candy.”
“… Me, Master?”
“Wow?”
“… Why do you deliberately use words that can only be used in the provinces?”
“Are you dissatisfied?”
It must have been a prank.
There is a saying that the appearance of the Yao tribe is determined by their mental maturity.
This may not be true for everyone, but at least the girl in front of him is an example that personally proves such an example.
“Your Majesty is busy, so I’m going to watch it with a smile on my face, but aren’t you busy?”
“This is also a part of the job.”
“I hope you have some flexibility.”
Geornia, an elf girl who shook her fingers as if she were doing a sword with her hand and even lowered her head.
The Imperial Palace is also divided into areas, and if you start going around all of them, there is no maze like this.
Unlike before, the number of members of the imperial family decreased exponentially, so nearly half of the imperial palace was virtually empty, close to Mujugongsan.
Even this will be filled by owners one by one in the future, but it was Melineos who thought it was probably after Elhermina inherited the throne.
“Let’s see.”
The treasure house is divided into value and rarity in each stage.
Among them were numerous treasures of unproven value.
Also, each area is divided, and there are places where knights have items that are nothing more than antiques, and there are places that will make your eyes roll.
However, this place, although such value and rarity have not been proven, is an area where unidentified treasures are piled up as if neglected just in case.
“You’re just blatant.”
“Because it’s a spoil, not a spoil.”
“Isn’t there a national treasure in a ruined country?”
“… … .”
“Eh, I’m sure I’m not in a relationship with Neug.”
Geornia smiled and looked around with interest at the gold and silver treasures scattered about as if she were on a tour, and even the items around her seemed ordinary.
And Melineos follows her as if to accompany her.
The reason why there is no other person besides the two is probably because it was judged that this issue is so important that it is something that needs to be uncovered in secret.
“It would take me a year to find traces of Kariel’s gratitude.”
“… If it were me, it would have been. But Master is different.”
“I’ll make you taste good, but I’m going to pamper you. Tsk tsk tsk tsk!”
From the outside, it looks like he’s sulking and kicking his tongue wildly.
As expected, for Melineos, who knew the contents well, that skill was in many ways uncomfortable.
“If you do, let’s start.”
Tension permeates the loose impression.
Her loose green eyes changed sharply.
“ 𐤚𐤎𐤒 ”
speak an unknown language
Drawing a line of blue light, it stirred in all directions.
You can hear eyewitness accounts that the spirits sometimes appear that way to those who cannot see them.
That was something qualitatively different from that.
‘The fusion of spirits and magic.’
Fusion of magic and sorcery.
Among them, he is praised as one of the three great masters of the Magical Fusion School.
Geornia dei Adelweiss.
A skill that goes beyond summoning the spirits and gives them detailed instructions, allowing them to convey even more requests and instructions at a glance than before.
It was because they were the ones who raised Spiritual Art, which had been thoroughly handled based on nature, aptitude, and talent, to the concept of learning, with only simple empathy and affinity.
“Look carefully.”
Geornia gestured as if to come here, and pointed the forehead of Melineos, who had approached, with her small index finger.
All the colors of the world disappear, and all that remains is a strange world made up of bluish light.
There.
Melineos and Geornia could see Kariel, who had arrived here while having a conversation with someone, bewildered.
“Who are you talking to, you know?”
“… Iknow, right.”
“When we came to our side, we communicated well with the spirits, but the energy and ecology here is not good… Wouldn’t that be easy?”
“That, was it?”
“why? Didn’t Kariel tell you?”
“… … .”
When the conversation was cut off, the two began to focus on the continuing sight again.
Then, all of a sudden, it was Kariel who belatedly tried to step out because she wanted to regret why she had come all the way here.
Suddenly, as if being grabbed by something, he stops.
Then, as if he had seen something, his eyes widened.
[you are… who the hell… Do you?]
… … .
“Have you seen a ghost?”
or.
“Anything similar to him, or something similar to him? what do you think about it?”
“I don’t know the details. Nothing is clear yet.”
“Then you can call Kariel and ask. Have something simple.”
“that… crab.”
“The engagement was tomorrow, right? By the way… I saw it on the way home, but it seemed like you didn’t intend to make a big deal out of it? You want to keep it simple?”
“… … .”
Geornia, who looked around the treasure chest a little more, asked a question.
“If you have something to hide, tell me. When you start asking… It won’t be something to be taken lightly.”
“Everything, you know?”
“no. Not at all. I don’t know anything.”
Her voice was playful and her attitude was the same.
In the eyes of Geornia, who met just in time.
A blinding wrath descended upon him.
“When the opportunity is given, take it well.”
Said as he left the Geornia Treasury at will.
“As you say, it’s okay, while filling your stomach, both sides.”
if not.
“… Shall we shove our face right into the emperor and ask him directly?”
—-
“Are you okay?”
“uh… huh? what, what?”
At Patina’s question, Rueld stood in a daze and blinked his eyes.
“You’re not looking at a single document.”
“Is that so?”
There is no work to be done.
It rarely happens like this, but this time was definitely different.
Even though I want to know if this is the right thing to do.
What were you doing this for?
Did you even feel skeptical?
if not… .
Whatever it was, my mind was confused and I couldn’t concentrate.
“Still, how fortunate that Kariel came to his senses even belatedly.”
“Yes? uh… okay. right.”
that kid doesn’t know
No, most don’t know.
“… … .”
The day Kariel is supposed to have left.
On the contrary, that day was a day of unprecedented blessing for Rueld.
However… .
“I came to meet you.”
“… Your Highness?”
“You speak comfortably. We’re on our own, you don’t have to.”
“… … .”
I returned home, but everything was empty.
Ermina took care to take care of herself not at home, but at the Great Church.
If he returns without reason, he will experience Kariel’s void more directly.
Unfortunately, however, Princess Elhermina came to that place.
“I see. Then, Kariel. How was the child?”
“I have grown trustworthy again.”
“… … .”
“However, he will not forgive Rueld-sama and Ermina-sama. And, even the Empire.”
“that… .”
“Still, that will not lead to tragedy through resentment. I’ll have to consider venting some resentment.”
“… … .”
It feels like I’m constantly going back and forth between dreams and reality.
I couldn’t get used to this feeling, as if I had risen to heaven and then suddenly fell to hell.
I thought that I was used to hardships, that I was used to fatigue and pain, that I had been accustomed to it for a long time.
This time, it was much harder to endure than I imagined.
“Are you okay?”
“… sorry. Because you look ugly.”
“I have a question for you.”
“Ask me anything I can answer.”
Elhermina seemed to organize her thoughts for a moment.
In other words, the kind of look that makes you wonder if it’s right to bring out this part.
“Have you ever felt a bit out of place when dealing with Kariel?”
“… At what point?”
“Since Mama called Miss Geornia, you’ll know if she comes, but just in case.”
“I want you to be a little more precise, to tell me your question.”
“I have been watching Kariel for a long time. As such, he is well versed in everything that happens around him.”
However, there is something odd about it.
“Those who treat Kariel tend to go a bit extreme in how they treat him.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“for example… .”
As if to help herself, the princess spread her hands and pointed at Rueld and herself.
“Lord Rueld and I have similar tendencies in dealing with Kariel.”
“How?”
“Oath. This is the same for Obama and Mama.”
“Blind faith? Not trust?”
“The difference is huge.”
There, Elhermina pursed her lips for a moment.
“And, as for those who react hostilely to him, we observe that reactions and attitudes vary in different ways.”
utter disregard.
contempt and ridicule.
sometimes even hate.
“And some, beyond just having feelings, went on to act.”
A typical example is his younger brother, Alexius.
Besides that, some.
“Originally, I think I would have stopped it long ago, or restrained it in some way.”
If it was the usual me.
“… By the way. It wasn’t until right after he left, in the process of reflecting on myself. I felt a sense of incongruity. I came to know the results that are quite different from my usual behavior and attitude.”
“… … .”
“As if something had blinded you.”
And that.
“It seems that Ermina-sama was no exception.”
“Ermina?”
“It is still in the estimation stage, but I would like you to know. Perhaps, a malicious trick was carried out in a form unknown to us.”
“… … .”
Rueld thought.
if not.
If it’s like that, I’d rather be a little bit convinced of his attitude.
So, with all sincerity towards the malevolent beings who acted in such tricks.
… Because I feel like I can express my hatred and anger.
“What if that guess was just a guess?”
“If that’s the case… I have no choice but to admit that I am immoral, that I am not good enough, that I am ugly, and move on.”
rather.
“That might be better. However, if there are people who can proceed with this kind of malice beyond our imagination.”
Isn’t Kariel in a very dangerous state right now?
—-
“… … .”
dusk falls
Rueld suddenly took out a letter from his inside pocket.
It was crumpled and unopened, but it was hard to see what was inside.
He spread it out on the desk and gently spread it as if rubbing his hands.
[I sincerely pray that, by any chance, misfortune will not happen to Miss Ermina during childbirth.
I sincerely pray that, by any chance, there will be no problems with the child being born.
Assuming that, I will tell you.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the birth of a child between Ermina-sama and Rueld-sama.
Iroso, I can now leave this place with peace of mind.
I will drop the name Brendiar.
It was hard being your son.
It was hard because I was your child.
To say that I wish I hadn’t been born… I can’t give you
However, I may have repeated the same thought dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of times.
I prayed for a long time.
Nothing has changed.
If there was a lack of sincerity, a lack of effort, and a lack of earnestness.
Really, is there no choice but to die?
But the fear is, even if I die, I will remain in your hearts.
No, that’s not scary.
rather.
… If only it hadn’t been there.
If only there hadn’t been a single trace of me left in the world.
All the memories that haunt me wouldn’t have felt so cruel.
If there is any regret left, it is that I became your disgrace and fault.
So, let me tell you this.
Sorry for being born.
So please, forget about that and live happily.
Perhaps, it will come back.
But that is not for the reunion with you.
So, please understand that.
Finally.
Later, when you cross swords with me, so that you will never look at me or shake my heart.
I hope you do it with all your heart.
Of course, I will too.
Don’t worry though.
I, as your son, will not hold back your life.
In that sense, I am giving up the surname Brendiar.
I have tried to understand you.
I sympathize with you that you were in pain.
When I was young, I saw many times that I couldn’t sleep at night due to the wounds of the past and was trembling with anxiety.
So, as much as I hate, as much as I resent.
Seriously, I couldn’t hate it.
But, doesn’t that have nothing to do with children?
So, please treat the child born this time with love.
To be able to say thank you for caring, paying attention, and letting that child be born, even on a casual basis. I sincerely hope that you will help me to do that in my daily life.
It is an obligation that no one else can fulfill.]
“… … .”
There is no postscript, and there is no end to writing in letters, but there is no such thing as an unfortunate ending like this.
That’s bound to be the case too.
Because there were no more blanks left.
The reason why it doesn’t feel like it’s been completed after writing it is probably because the period was completely completed.
However, there are no more margins.
I wanted to see more.
I wanted to hear it.
How did it happen?
I haven’t given this letter to Ermina yet.
No, I will never tell you anything.
“Since I was born… .”
I’m sorry.
that’s what it means
how can you say that… to yourself… .
I wish all of this was a dream.
No, something is wrong.
You must be having a bad dream.
Perhaps, the demon lord is still healthy, and some kind of mental magic or seduction magic? Maybe it’s because he’s been cursed and can’t come to his senses.
Have you ever had one or two?
In fact, because of that, Ermina could have been unable to open her eyes for the rest of her life.
Even then, in her fantasy, she held on to her child and cried out that she would not leave.
… In the end though, I accepted the reality.
Grief is an all-too-familiar process for us.
There were so many that I couldn’t possibly count them all on one hand.
Why was he able to endure it anyway?
because everyone was there.
However, in it.
… To make the words “I’m sorry for being born” written in your son’s mouth and hand.
What the hell, what, how, how can I accept this?
“… … .”
Is it right to be sad?
If you’re too sad, you won’t even cry, and you won’t think about anything.
Even though Rueld had experienced such experiences countless times.
This time, it really felt like my soul was being cut, not my bones.
“… However.”
You must not stop.
Giving up and sitting down like this is nothing but escape.
You have to find out and ask.
We have to fight.
If resentment reaches its peak, even if you kill yourself, it can’t be resolved.
… I can’t die, but I have no choice but to persuade him in some way and compromise.
No, that’s wrong.
It is not a matter of compromise or persuasion.
apologize… sorry sorry… .
yeah, that’s all
However… .
‘In the world, where did he go?’
don’t know the destination
Also, the search network of the empire cannot be searched.
How is that possible?
“Calm down.”
If she collapses, Ermina collapses as well.
Even after that, the people of the empire are shaken, and even the emperor, a colleague like a brother, is at stake.
Aren’t they the ones who really had to pay attention to the nobles until recently?
They carry out dirty and shameless tricks casually, but they themselves could not.
No, to be precise, Rueld himself.
All kinds of constraints that entangle the whole body are tightly woven together like a chain.
Of course, I was determined to handle it myself.
… Right now, I just didn’t want to think about anything.
Just for a moment, just for a moment.
Give me a little time to accept and endure all of this.
father.
the sky
our lord.
L.