6. Proof of Existence (58)
The answer to my question was given shortly after.
“My sister told me to pass it on, it would be helpful… They say they don’t deserve to write yet.”
“What help?”
“I don’t know, they say they’ll go even if it dries anyway.”
I accidentally accepted Mr. Reynold’s keepsake.
As I drank with my free hand, my eyes stared at the pitch-black stick.
dry?
i know what i will do
“My uncle’s keepsakes and will… Please take good care of me.”
For a while I thought about those words.
Keepsakes of the departed, legacy of the departed.
Nothing was heavy.
enough to catch your breath.
**
Lupine gave me another piece of news.
It was a story that Leah was keeping one of my things. If that’s the case, you should have come to me sooner, but why hasn’t there been any news?
It was a question that would be solved if I found it.
On the way to find Lia, I stopped several times and sighed.
My hand kept groping around in my bosom. There was a short jet-black rod.
Memento of Mr. Reynolds.
I couldn’t understand the intentions of Elsie-senpai who entrusted me with this item. First of all, I’m not even a wizard, so I wonder if this stick is helpful.
After thinking about this and that, before I knew it, my steps came to the place where Lia was staying.
It was a small store. It looked a little wider than the magic material shop run by the elf Avian in the past.
It was a decent size for an upper office.
I knocked on the door, and soon a weak voice leaked from inside.
“We are not accepting guests today.”
“It’s me.”
Then there was silence beyond the door.
Feeling hesitant, I opened the door on my own and entered.
The inside of the store was neatly organized as if to reflect the personality of the owner. In the middle of it, my sister was staring down at the papers, downcast.
You’re trying hard to ignore me.
Arrogantly, I wasn’t willing to accept my sister’s departure.
“Lia, your brother is here.”
“Yes… … .”
Lia slightly averted her gaze at my greeting and blushed.
It was evident that he was reluctant to meet me. This could not have been a serious issue.
Isn’t it common sense that when the older brother returns, the younger sister greets her with joy and affection?
Feeling embarrassed, I approached Lia and started interrogating her.
“A hug that says you’ve been there? Won’t you kiss me now?”
“… … Oh really!”
In the end, Lia’s hand, unable to withstand my pressure, struck the table with a bang.
Slightly flushed cheeks, light water droplets around the eyes.
It seemed that Lia also had feelings of shame.
“Why, why are you doing this… I’m an adult now! You don’t do that!”
“You were doing well until recently.”
“That, that… … .”
The corners of Leah’s eyes drooped like a puppy caught in the wrong.
I looked at Leah without saying anything. Sometimes a short silence is more effective than a hundred words of reproach.
I was the one who knew Leah better than anyone else.
The way to hear Lia’s true intentions was also the same.
“… … Leah.”
My low call was the decisive blow.
Soon, dew began to form in Leah’s eyes. The crying voice was spit out in pieces.
“Ha, but I’m not your sister… You just took someone else’s life… … .”
“No, Leah.”
I said that while hugging Lia reluctantly.
Leah did not reject my touch. The sound of sobbing resonated deeply in my heart.
“No matter what anyone says, you are my sister. That’s what I thought, and I’ve lived that way all my life.”
“So, what about that kid?”
It was obvious who the ‘he’ was referring to.
‘Greed’, it must have been a word about my real blood ties.
“I feel sorry for that child… If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to stand it. I couldn’t stand it because I hated it… Um, but can I be shameless and continue to be happy?”
“Of course.”
I said it again with conviction.
“It’s not your fault.”
“still… … .”
“You promised me.”
Listening to the watery voice, my tongue scooped up memories of the distant past.
“I said I would protect you… Who was the person who promised me then?”
“… … Nana.”
“You know?”
My hand gently patted Leah’s back. Lia’s tears wet the front island, but it wasn’t too unpleasant.
He just wanted Leah to stop crying.
“A good knight, never lies.”
Only then did Lia burst into tears.
It had been a long time since he had soothed his crying little sister. It was a happy duty as a brother.
After a long pat, Leah mumbled in a slightly dry voice.
“Should he die?”
Of course.
The Dark Church was the most vicious group throughout the continent. As long as I was brainwashed and corrupted by their hands, I had to see that there was no way to get back.
I have proven that fact without exception.
With these hands, taking countless lives.
Now, I have committed too many sins to claim the bond of flesh and blood.
Why though.
It was hard for me to say anything because I had a bad appetite.
More than anything, it felt like Leah would burst into tears again.
“… … Let’s do our best.”
At least this was my best.
Even though there is no way to save it, they sell vain hope.
Leah probably doesn’t know this either. But again, I couldn’t bear the burden, so the girl nodded gently.
It was a twisted twist of fate.
I didn’t even dare to unravel this thread.
It will end when someone dies.
Unaware of my speed, Lia muttered as she closed her eyes.
“Believe me, oppa has always kept his promises… ruler.”
Out of nowhere, Lia’s palm reached out in front of my eyes.
Above it was an unsightly iron cross. I thought it might be a cheap necklace sold in the market.
It was a gift whose intention was unknown to me.
Why are you handing this to me?
Leah smiled bashfully.
“A little child from an orphanage gave it to me. What is it, isn’t there a girl we saved? He’s the boy’s brother.”
yeah that kid
It came to my mind at first glance, but it seemed that he had safely returned to his family according to the contents of the ‘contract’.
I’m glad I was able to keep my promise.
It was when I handed the cross with a light smile.
“It is a wonderful article. You keep all your promises, right?”
With that one word, I felt somehow nostalgic.
My eyes froze and I began to take a closer look at the shape of the cross. Even if it looks familiar, isn’t it a very familiar look?
It was a gift given to the saintess.
There was only a difference between whether it was made of silver or cheap iron.
I guess you thought we were lovers.
“So, believe me. Oppa is not the kind of person who will break a promise no matter what.”
In fact, there were many times when I broke my promise.
This was especially true of the promise he made with the saintess. I remembered that I had broken my promise that I would not go to dangerous places and that I would rest for a while.
at least one though.
I have to keep at least one.
A dream-like, hazy voice passed by my ears.
‘I, I will definitely make it… … .”
Back, strength went into the hand holding the cross. The metal dug into my skin and stimulated my pain points, but I didn’t even let out a light moan.
Now it was Leah’s turn to express her curiosity.
“Brother, what happened… … ?”
“Lea.”
With a calming voice, I caught my breath.
“I have work to do.”
It was a short talk. But that was enough.
Leah seemed to know what I was thinking. She’s my little sister, so of course.
“But, it is too dangerous. It’s impossible. I have to make that possible.”
“… … What are the odds?”
“To put it mildly, less than work.”
Leah’s complexion turned blue at my honest confession.
Then, after twisting and straightening, her lips moved as if she was about to say something, and a gloomy light covered the girl’s face as if she had finally given up.
The half-question mixed with a sigh returned.
“… … Why should I?”
“Because I promised.”
My firm tone made Leah go deeper.
The younger sister, biting her lips and wiggling her fingers, clearly wanted to dissuade me.
But I know it won’t help.
Lia quietly kissed my cheek.
“… … A kiss to say goodbye.”
“Because you’re an adult, didn’t you stop doing it now?”
“Every woman wants to be a girl forever.”
At the same time, Lia pretended to be sullen and turned her head with excitement.
I had to burst into laughter for a while because he was so cute.
The next day, my best friend after a long time greeted me.
Leto Ainstern, my most trusted adviser.
As soon as he heard my story, he raised his forehead as if it were nonsense.
“… … Ian, you are really crazy.”
“It’s a misunderstanding that lives a lot these days.”
“No, seriously crazy… Do you really think this plan will work? Let alone the possibility of realization that I would like to lose my job… There are too many loopholes in the logic itself. Do you think you’ll listen to this kind of nonsense?”
“So you have to make up for it.”
Leto felt like he wanted to scream at least like this.
The whites under her eyes were exposed when she ran her hands down her face.
“No, no! If you design a plan like this, even if Celine pulls out all your hair… … .”
“Leto, I don’t want to run away.”
Whiririk, Tak.
I muttered that as if hypnotizing myself.
A pitch-black stick spins through the air before being sucked into the palm of your hand.
“I don’t want to be cowardly.”
It’s been a long time since I don’t know how much, I sincerely asked my best friend.
“Please, help me just once.”
“… … What a fucking dog!”
In the end, Leto couldn’t overcome his anger and randomly scattered the papers in front of him.
hump, hump.
Breathing heavily, Leto shouted with bloodshot eyes.
“If you go after me like this, you really know how to go after me.”
“Are you going to kill me twice?”
“Yes, I will follow you to the underworld and beat you to death!”
Faced with a friend who uses barakbarak evil, I had no choice but to smile bitterly.
The next day, following Leto’s advice, I visited Alpenhauser’s twins.
I was finally able to stand in front of it.
There were too many roaring crowds. Including me with my hood on, there were so many people that I couldn’t even see properly.
They were heading for a place with a large current.
Ciendel, the capital of the Holy Kingdom and the sacred ground of the Celestial Church.
There, on the highest mountain, there existed a sacred place where truth and lies were veiled before the great celestials.
The so-called ‘mountain court’.
Today was the day of the saintess’ trial.