140. But, in my ears, in this heart
“······We were childhood friends.”
When he finally got his feelings together, Zach looked ten years older. The wounds that devastated him now would be the kind that could not be healed even with the hero’s divine power.
Where did the adventurer’s courage and energy go? He leaned against the cold wall with a tired look. However, unlike the power drained from his whole body, his hand had strong power.
With his hands clasped over those of the cold corpse, Zach murmured his story over and over again, like a broken gramophone.
“Emily was the daughter of a nanny. She often brought her to her mansion, saying she had nowhere to leave her little child alone, and at first she hated him so much.”
“I hated you, did you say?”
“Because I was young back then. Something the size of a rat is always following you around, this is no good, keep your body shape… hahahaha. You don’t know how much I nag you when you’re the same age as me.”
That laugh no longer had a soul. Zach put on a vague expression as if recalling the past for a moment, but soon lowered his head.
However, the only thing that caught his gaze was Emily, who had already closed her eyes a long time ago. Eventually he closed his eyes. However, the hand holding his body still did not let go.
“A guy who was so smart, said that he would follow me on the day I left…. If I stayed in the castle, I would have been able to live a decent life, because I was foolish. I can’t even refuse…”
[·······.]
“Kuk, ugh, keuuk…”
His words seemed to slurp a little, but soon Zach dropped his head again and started sobbing. No, he never really asked. I looked at Zeke, who suddenly began to talk about himself, in bewilderment.
The content was really corny. One of the men who ran out of the house with young blood. And his beautiful childhood friend. To the tragic end. Under!
However, contrary to my cold evaluation, the reaction of the other audience members was quite good. A holy sword that uttered pitiful sighs many times. Although she wasn’t as dramatic as her, the others also expressed their regrets.
[········ K.]
“Heeing, so sad.”
······It’s okay to be sad, right? However, regardless of the reaction of those around him, Zach did not care, and his expression was consistently devastated. Well, you’ll feel like you’ve lost the world.
I felt a little pity for him. Wouldn’t it be better for him to end his painful life rather quickly? While I was so lost in thought, Zach opened his mouth again.
“If I had known this was going to happen, I would have rather not been an adventurer.”
[What……?]
A statement close to desperation. I couldn’t believe my ears the moment I listened to the words. Did I just hear something wrong?
No, it wasn’t. He spewed out presumptuous words from his blasphemous mouth. The goblin-like pity in my heart faded, replaced by a roaring rage.
[Did you just say adventurer ‘like’?]
“Yes, yes?”
A terrible life that explodes in all directions. The lid of the corpse’s coffin, which had been resealed, rattled, and Zach’s face turned pale from the terrifying intimidation.
He couldn’t breathe properly for a different reason than before. If it was because I cried too much earlier, this time it was because of my overwhelming presence. I’m going to run out of breath
I didn’t intend to kill him right away, so when I calmed down a bit, Zach immediately grabbed his chest and began to breathe heavily.
[You’re barely an adventurer, does that mean you’re going to deny the past that I’ve achieved through sweat and blood?]
“That, that’s…”
[You must have suffered enough while wearing the silver badge. Think. What made you want to become an adventurer? Why did you want to become an adventurer!]
At the cry that contained my soul, Zach put on a bewildered expression. It seemed that he was about to let go of his mind at the shocking events that followed.
However, no amount of despair and frustration in the world could overcome the survival instinct. When I rallied again and pressed Zach, the answer came out of him.
“Because I had no foundation, and I had to do anything for Emily…. Because of that, I just grabbed the knife by myself.”
Isn’t it natural that something like longing for the unknown or a spirit of inquiry into a new world should come out here? Anyway, kids these days don’t have romance, romance.
As soon as the story of Emily came up, gloomy eyes filled up once again. I groaned before he plunged back into the swamp of despair.
[Yes! You became an adventurer for one woman. Do you think all of her time for her was just a useless, pointless waste of time?]
“No, I never said that…”
[The past cannot be undone. It’s natural to regret it, but don’t get caught up in that regret and deny the times you were faithful.]
Somehow, it seems like a million light years away from what I was trying to say at the beginning, but it’s okay. As I muttered a famous quote and got drunk on my own words, the Holy Sword muttered something absurd.
[It’s grandiose, but it’s not comforting.]
[Huh? I wasn’t trying to comfort you.]
Originally, I heard that he was going to argue about the derogatory remarks about adventurers, but hey, it’s Kim. It’s natural that such a half-hearted person doesn’t understand the coolness of an adventurer, so let’s be lenient for now.
The Holy Sword sighed heavily at my clear answer.
[Haa, anyway, he’s like a scoundrel who doesn’t even notice. I’m sorry, Zach.]
“No, Holy Sword.”
Zach’s eyes were still blurry, but at least they were brighter than before. He let go of his corpse’s hand and stood up.
Even though the cream washed away the filth from the corpse once, the corpse’s senses wouldn’t be very good. Even in the state of holding that cold, soft thing, his expression was calm.
“It’s not too late to grieve, even after Emily’s funeral. Until then, I will keep my heart in it.”
Although he collapsed once after seeing the corpse, Zach probably didn’t really expect Emily’s return anyway. I was just clinging to a vague hope.
After that hope was completely dashed, the second recovery was quick. It was strange to see the sunken Zach, but at least I liked the fact that he wasn’t procrastinating like before.
“Can you hear me?”
However, apart from his own mindset, the limitations of his body were obvious. In a situation where it was difficult to keep even one of his own body, Zach stumbled several times to carry Emily’s body.
Anyway, since I was healed by a hero by a hardened adventurer, I can walk around. Seeing his precarious appearance, Choco was the first to offer a helping hand, but Zach gently shook his head.
“I will carry it with my hand.”
From noble mtl dot com
“Yes. Okay······.”
[Zach·······.]
Choco shyly withdrew her outstretched hand back. It took us a long time to get out of the cavity full of glass walls, trying to keep pace with Zach’s slow pace.
The moment I opened the door to the road, the stench of the dungeon stung my nose. Certainly, no matter how detached a person may be, menstrual phenomena cannot be helped.
[What is it?]
“I said I would take care of myself, but it’s not easy.”
[······Zach.]
Isn’t it because of the smell? Zach’s expression did not change even as he smelled the stench that flowed through the crack in the door. Blurred and hazy, like a sleepwalker.
Soon Zach began to move his steps again. However, throughout the walk, he hesitated and stood repeatedly. To say it was simply because I was frightened by the scenery of the prison, I didn’t even look at it in the first place.
Besides, kindly, the other party is speeding up to Zach’s footsteps, so the brakes are applied instead of walking as if the entire party is on the brakes. I was slowly getting annoyed.
[Zach!]
[Why are you so lazy?]
“Sorry. I feel like I keep hearing Emily’s voice…”
In an instant, the atmosphere became tense. That was the case with Choco, but now even Cream was making a serious expression. She habitually tuk, tuk. I knocked on the sheath I was in.
“You too?”
[Yes.]
Cream had expanded her senses a while ago to detect everything in the area. Me too. All the information in the area flows in between the amplified senses.
But there was no harvest. Not to mention, I opened my spiritual eyes and looked into the spiritual world, and there is no living thing in the vicinity other than our party that can send a mental wave.
Everyone didn’t respond, so I thought it was just me and tried to ignore it.
[Where are you, Zach…]
Anyway, I don’t think I’m the only one who hears these hallucinations.