5. Bread and dagger (78)
Accidents abound. Disjointed memories were slipping and making noise.
Several burns surfaced in the hazy mind.
Originally, these were scenes that should have continued continuously. Links of fragmented reminiscence passed through my brain like a rugged chain.
The running body cut through the air gap and was shot. Dozens of snake heads were pointing at me.
That’s the first scene.
Memories from that time remained sparse.
The sword and ax burst into blood. Pieces of meat and bones spread out with a scream.
Yeah, it’s been fine up until this point.
The golden trail burned all the tentacles it approached. With Delphine-senpai’s addition, it was as if there were no enemies left to stymie me.
Even the most terrifying monsters were just born.
In terms of Aura alone, I didn’t have the jaw to compete with Delphine, who was stronger than me. And as always, Delphine did not betray my expectations.
The next scene that comes to mind is a storm of rays surrounding the son-in-law.
This was also difficult, but I was able to overcome it. Using texture and resolution, some rays were bounced off and others scattered. There were countless times when the refracted rays collided with each other and caused an explosion.
Most of all, the credit for ‘Swamppest Trust’ cast by senior Elsie was great.
The random thunderbolts did not distinguish who was the enemy. It was hard to get through the gap, but the lump of flesh that couldn’t even move in the first place was even more painful.
The sight of dozens of snake heads being electrocuted at once was truly spectacular.
As the electric current caused their muscles to contract, the snakes all raised their heads. It was like a sea snake waiting for rain.
Or a grotesque symbol to commemorate a pagan god.
Either way, the fact that the snake head was neutralized remained unchanged. I had only one head left at the end.
It was Leoric.
The scenes that came to mind after that were more fragmentary.
A face that transforms like a waxy black made by a child.
Alex and Betty.
The black car couldn’t cut them both. The cost of a moment’s hesitation was terrifying.
The sensation of being penetrated through the abdomen came.
I could tell because I had suffered a lot of penetrating wounds.
This is called least slander.
And I lost consciousness, and the place where I woke up is here.
The dry voice caused a ripple.
“… … What a pitiful look.”
It was a familiar tone.
To that pointless accusation, I staggered to my feet. After facing each other a few times, I now know.
There was a hint of rebuke in that dry word.
It was a feeling that leaked out in tiny bits, like squeezing water out of a dried rag. Unless you’ve been with him for a long time, you won’t even notice.
Even so, there was only one reason why I could read his mind.
Because that man was me.
Golden eyes drenched in fatigue, dark hair that creates a lonely atmosphere like a wolf in the rain.
There was ridicule and arrogance in those eyes looking down at me. It was a look that only those in the position of absolute power could have.
The low voice continued.
“Didn’t you say you would protect everyone? But the result is like this… It’s not even funny.”
“You’re the one who told me to look at the bottom, right?”
“Yes, it was.”
It seemed to meekly accept my point, but I already knew.
He was not the kind of person who would accept my argument in the first place.
The trajectory of his life was like a scar. Even if I tried to erase it, there was no jaw to erase it. I wouldn’t even think about erasing it.
It was a kind of criminal act.
An insult to precious beings who have been abandoned countless times with just one single thought to protect the world.
The man has always insisted that his way is right.
“But I didn’t tell you to make a fuss to protect a few elves. didn’t you see I wrote you to give up, on the back of the letter.”
“So you’re saying we’re going to leave that monster alone? Are humans and elves killing each other in a misunderstanding?”
“It’s always happened… For hundreds of years.”
There was no sympathy or sympathy in that calm tone.
He was a human being who had lost even the emotions he should have as a human being. There was no way he could sympathize with my feelings.
“How many more years does it add up? I wanted you to look at the elves and see the bottom. The people who live there are the main target of the Dark Church… Inferiority, inferiority, frustration and anger. All those emotions become prey to Delphirem. Furthermore, having four people among the elves makes it easy to obtain information.”
It was around that time that I reached the limit of my patience.
A low, low voice passed over my vocal chords. Heat passed through the gaping teeth.
“The village elves are not my tools… I don’t even know how to fight properly, so you make me a ganja?”
“If it’s for humanity’s sake, I’ll do it.”
A burden placed on my shoulders as if it were taken for granted.
I was momentarily short of breath and choked. The man’s golden pupils deepened.
“I’ve said it many times, but you have to throw away what you throw away… You are still fooling around. You’re whining because you don’t have the courage to throw something away.”
“I already threw away a lot.”
For the first time, the man’s mouth fell shut.
I managed to suppress my rising emotions.
I just casually added it.
“Before I received that letter, so many things I could never have imagined… … .”
I got blood on my hands
The lives of Guilford, Alex, and countless others were to be taken into my own hands.
In the past, I even threw my body.
Is even this not enough?
The man did not answer my questions. He just carefully looked at my face, avoiding his gaze, and threw out a word.
“You will have to throw away more in the future.”
It was ruthless advice.
I had no choice but to hold back a bitter smile. After all, he was always like this.
Even if it seemed strange, the intention was hidden. At least it wasn’t to my detriment.
yes, i did
My ensuing accident came to a sudden halt as if caught on a rock. New questions were rising like smoke in my brain.
Then what about this time?
“… … Should I really give up?”
It was a simple question.
Like a sinner waiting for a retrial, he seems to be complaining after becoming a prisoner of hope.
There was no way the man would listen to this.
He let out a rare snort.
“Yeah, since it’s still early for you… I even missed my last chance right in front of my eyes.”
“Then why did you ask me to bring the princess?”
Stand tall, and the man’s breathing stops.
Again, the dry golden gaze turned to me. I asked, taking that look straight in the eye.
“And why did you teach Seria that skill? Why did you throw away another letter?”
“A letter, what do you mean… … .”
“Assimilation rate.”
The man’s mouth was shut tight.
Yes. A letter from the future cannot be touched by anyone.
I was the only one who could see, let alone touch. ‘I’ from the future is no exception, and he has acted as if he had not seen the contents of the letter.
But not too long ago, questions began to bloom.
Lately, he has been giving advice as if he knew the contents of the letter. In the past, it was only at an approximate level, but not recently.
Especially when I fell in the elven village, it was as if I had read all of my situation.
It meant that he shared more than a certain level of sense with me.
Above all, if I could touch the letter, there was nothing else. At least it won’t be like I threw it somewhere drunk.
“Since the assimilation rate has increased, is it possible to touch the letter? That’s why I was able to throw away the second letter.”
The man did not answer until the end.
He was a real poet. Then, my voice suddenly rose.
“What was in that letter? And why did the princess and Seria have to come to the north? Who else is the old lion of Yurdina… … !”
“Son.”
Tak, the man’s hand struck the air.
Before he knew it, he was holding a bloodstained letter in his hand. I couldn’t even understand the principle from where it appeared.
My eyes were fixed on a new clue.
It must have been that letter. Items in an empty, torn envelope.
And the moment I inadvertently took a step.
Twist, and the world tilts.
It felt like I was about to pass out. My legs were weak and I couldn’t even walk properly. A sharp headache pounded on his skull, like a bird pecking at a nut.
Now is the time to calm down.
A man’s voice blends in between the shaking eyes.
“Sometimes there are stories that are better not to know. You are still far from carrying all the burdens.”
don’t talk nonsense
I’m not a child you need to protect.
I wanted to say that, but my body wouldn’t listen. On the contrary, my leaning body fell forward, making it difficult for me to even make eye contact with the man.
However, in my hazy consciousness, I spat out a few words.
It was a voice that could not even form a language.
“I am not you… … .”
And consciousness goes dark.
**
When I opened my eyes, it was a dark room.
Vision depended only on a single frail lamp. The eyes that opened slowly took in the light for the first time in a long time.
How long have you been lying down?
It was a luxurious bedroom. Even in the midst of that, Senior Delphine protected me until the end and seemed to have retreated to Yurdina Castle.
She has always been a great woman.
I still can’t believe that I had my first night with a woman like that.
My five senses gradually returned, and I had to feel an unfamiliar sensation.
Eyes carefully looking down at my lower body.
Not even noticing that I had opened my eyes, light pink eyes were staring at my groin area.
And when he tried to bring his hand near it, he closed it.
It was funny, not like a saint.
As soon as I regained consciousness, I had to swallow.
“… … What are you doing?”
“Kyaaak!”
The saintess almost fell backwards in surprise, almost fainting.
Eyes mixed with bewilderment and anguish turned to me. After that, the gibberish and gibberish excuses poured in.
“Hey, Ian! woke up? I mean, that’s it… me never! I never meant to molest you. you know? I, that saintess!”
I was convinced when I saw the woman muttering with tears in her eyes.
I’m back.
In the end, without being able to defeat Leoric.
It was a grim return.
Seeing the saintess’ blushing face, I briefly thought that it was okay.
However, it wasn’t just my party that was waiting for my return.
Shocking news awaited me.
Along with the bloody letter envelope decorating the corner of the bedside.