678 – 8. Last Words (52)
With a snap, a bundle of old memories unravels like thread on a needle.
It wasn’t my memory. This contradictory feeling of being both unfamiliar and familiar, before I knew it, the scenery of the vast land was unfolding across my retina.
The eastern part of the continent was famous for its wide and fertile plains. This area, called the ‘Grand Grain’, had been faithfully performing the role of the lifeline of the empire and the castle since ancient times, but after the war, everything changed.
As I take a step, a clanking sound echoes. The mud that stuck to the boots slowly flowed down, leaving bloody marks.
Unpleasant odor.
It was the smell of blood and corpses. The land that was once a symbol of abundance was no longer there, and the trees that occasionally provided shade were dead, leaving only ugly structures.
There was no place to rest in a land so close to death.
Except for one place.
After walking for days without rest, our steps stopped in front of a certain point. Before my eyes, there was a miraculous scenery.
The warm moonlight was caressing the earth. All kinds of contaminants did not dare to enter the area where the light reached.
A sight as if light is dispelling darkness.
My companion expressed a brief comment, as if he had never known that hell on earth would exist such a place.
“What is the principle?”
As expected, an alchemist. Is it because my sensibility has become necrotic due to being so absorbed in research in the workshop?
Anyone who sees this place in front of them is bound to burst out in awe.
It was an unrelated story. Aren’t I also in a state where my emotions are drying up?
However, I couldn’t stop the voice that suddenly rose up against my uvula.
“It’s a miracle.”
I suddenly felt Emma’s gaze turning towards me at the words I blurted out. Despite this, her eyes never turned towards me.
I just scratched the image on my retina into my brain in a short moment of silence.
Grass and flowers were blooming on the land bathed in soft light. The countless traces of tents left beyond told us what kind of place this place was.
“A foolish woman left behind for the last time.”
Then I cautiously took a step forward. As soon as I cross the border between light and darkness, the dirt on my body is washed away by the moonlight.
Even then, Emma could only hum and make her strange nasal sound. It took a few more seconds for the woman with narrowed eyes to follow me.
And she followed behind me, even as she continued to pick at my old wounds.
“Aha, you’re a ‘saint’?”
There was no answer. However, the other person was that sly snake, Emma, so they would have been able to guess the general situation just by looking at my body, which froze in an instant.
Soon, a strange nasal sound comes out again.
I took a quick look at her complexion, but as usual, Emma was just making an expression of ignorance. Knock, knock. Looking at my index finger tapping my lips, I guess I was lost in thought for a moment.
I opened my mouth as casually as possible.
“We are planning to camp here today. The location where Her Majesty Princess Iris’s final whereabouts were confirmed remains for about two more days…….”
“It was a meaningless sacrifice.”
Tap.
I silenced Emma’s words as if they were nothing special. When Emma looked back, she was lost in her own world with her index finger still on her lips.
“It is said that more than 100,000 people retreated, but less than 30% of them evacuated to the central wall due to insufficient supplies. The soldiers were like that, let alone the civilians… Even if it is a sanctuary where no pollution can reach, the possibility of humanity advancing here again…….”
“Emma.”
Did Emma respond to my soft call? She did and she looked back at me with a smile on her face.
“Keeek, keek…” hahahaha!”
I couldn’t overcome the strength of my grip around my neck. It was an impulsive act, but strangely enough, my mind was extremely peaceful.
I gave sincere advice as if spitting it out.
“When it comes to issues you don’t know much about, it would be better to keep silent. Especially in times like these.”
That’s the end.
In fact, it was funnier to invest more time in sudden anger. Emma gasped and gasped as the strength in my grip loosened.
In addition, because my body lifted slightly for a moment, I took a couple of steps backwards.
When I saw Emma holding my neck and breathing heavily, I thought it might have been a little harsh.
“Ha, ha, ha… hahahaha, ahahahaha!”
Out of nowhere, Emma burst into laughter.
The woman burst out laughing for a long time, and soon she even wiped away the tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes. He was saying that this situation was so funny that he couldn’t bear it.
“Aha, ahahahaha! Hey, Ian… Now, are you using violence against me? Just before?”
Facing the fact that it was hard to deny, I swallowed a faint sigh and turned my head away.
Was I too excited?
In times like this, it would have been better to just admit the mistake. This was common sense in human relationships.
“Well, I’m sorry…” I have bad memories…….”
“No, no!”
But instead of Emma accepting my apology, she just waved her hands eagerly.
A faint sound of laughter tickles my ears.
“Should I say it’s a little bit outside of common sense…? I was just surprised that something unexpected happened. Ugh, I’m fine. Have you ever experienced something worse than this? Just Ian…….”
And then, suddenly, a sweet scent passes the tip of my nose.
It was because Emma had significantly narrowed the distance between me and me. With her back to me, the woman slightly bent her upper body and whispered in my ear.
“You are so interesting… If not, is this sanctuary protecting you?”
“…… ?”
Despite receiving my puzzled gaze, Emma just acted like a fool and widened the distance between her.
At first glance, she felt suspicious, but she soon decided to put those doubts out of her head. It was difficult to change my attitude on a topic that I had always believed in.
For camping, it was decided to utilize the remaining resources at the site of the old military camp.
A place where memories of me and the saint remain. It would be normal to be immersed in somewhat sentimental thoughts, but there was another element that caught my attention.
Words written in blood on a tower made of wood and corpses with only bones remaining.
[“Ecce universa quae habet in manu tua sunt.”]
It was a text that I could not interpret. If it weren’t for Emma standing next to me, she wouldn’t have even known the pronunciation.
“Esse, universa, kuae habet, in manu tua sunt.”
My eyes naturally turned to Emma. Then she smiled brightly and asked me a question.
“It’s a Bible verse. “Do you want to know what it means?”
Why is the alchemist so bright about theology?
I almost burst out laughing, but I couldn’t stop feeling confused inside. Should I listen to the interpretation or not?
In the end, the words that came out of my mouth were questions with obvious answers.
“It doesn’t mean good, does it?”
“Yes, it’s a mockery. A malicious truncation of God’s will.”
“Then there is no need to listen.”
This place was once occupied by the Dark Church. Although the sanctuary was created through the sacrifice of a saint, a being with great power would have been able to enter and exit this place, even if he was a member of the evil spirit.
It must have been their doing. If you try to interpret the meaning, you will only end up feeling dirty.
Emma stared at the words for a long time after that, but these were her words.
Soon, it was a short meal time.
Because we arrived at night, the sky was already dark. It meant that the clock of life was completely messed up, but in reality, it didn’t really apply to people like Emma and me.
Except for psychological fatigue, they were strong people who didn’t even need rest.
However, the experience of sipping warm tea while looking at the sun at dawn was special. This seemed to be the same for Emma, as she relayed information she had never heard before in a tired tone.
“There was the headquarters of the Eternal Life School nearby.”
It was a statement that naturally caught my attention.
Unlike me, who had a somewhat embarrassed expression, Emma’s voice was calm.
“You didn’t know the detailed location because it was a secret, right? I only heard that it was located somewhere in the eastern part of the continent… “It’s about a day away.”
“Well, that…” Yeongsaeng School… ….”
“Yes, this is where my teacher is. “It is also a place that was destroyed by the Dark Church.”
Suddenly, the rudeness committed against Emma today flashed through her mind.
I wasn’t the only one with heartbreaking memories. Emma also lived through a time of war, and she must have had the appropriate wounds in her heart.
And yet only my impulsive emotions take priority.
Should I apologize? However, Emma didn’t seem to be hoping for that reaction. She didn’t want to open her wounds by bringing up the story for no reason.
Then there was only one option left.
“…… “What kind of place was it?”
Continue the conversation quietly.
Luckily, my judgment was not wrong, and Emma continued to tell the story with a faint smile.
“Literally, it was a school of alchemists who gathered for the purpose of ‘eternal life.’ The ultimate pursuit was the completion of the treasure known as the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’… “A great raw material that can make all your wishes come true.”
“Is something like that possible?”
It was a question so cynical that even after saying it, I thought, “Oh my gosh.” Depending on the other person, it may be considered rude, but there is nothing to say.
But I also had something to say.
Isn’t the idea that ‘all wishes’ can come true is something that can only appear in one’s imagination? As someone who has experienced all kinds of bitterness in this cruel world, I could not help but feel ridicule.
If she were more cynical than Ah, there would be nothing to say.
However, Emma’s answer was far beyond my expectations.
“It is possible.”
An assertion without even the slightest hesitation.
That made it even more unrealistic. As the doubt in my eyes deepened, light green eyes turned towards me with a faint smile.
“It’s possible, Ian. “The ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ is an object modeled after a sacrifice that already existed.”
“What kind of sacrifice…?” ….”
“Shall we talk about old times?”
The woman made an offer that could not be refused.
“A story from a long, long time ago.”
I tilted the teacup and slowly closed my eyes. Time to get some sleep.
Emma’s clear voice was perfect as a lullaby.
*
“Long ago, Delphirem made a deal with the evil god Omeros and committed her first murder. The first sin… It was known that this was the price Delphirem paid when signing a contract with Omeros.”
One step, two steps.
I faced Emma’s bored face and backed away from her. Even though the space to avoid it is limited.
Light green eyes are aimed at the reagent bottle containing my blood.
Challang, challang.
Every time the delicate white hand moved, light blood-colored waves crashed inside the bottle. Emma’s eyes look at this, yes.
It resembled a butcher who viewed the corpse as meat. Or you could say it was the perspective of a doctor or scientist. The fact that it was a part of my body seemed like a good thing.
At least they don’t have the eyes of a criminal.
“But many scholars, including theologians, paid attention to the secret history beyond that. So who was the first person to be ‘murdered’? That must have been the actual sacrifice that Delphirem offered when signing a contract with Omeros… “After looking through all kinds of ancient documents, the hypothesis that she was Delphirem’s younger sister gained strength.”
With that, Emma put the reagent bottle containing her blood into her storage stand. Although it is not true now, there were already several bottles of blood stored in that storage unit.
“Do you know the first mission given to mankind by the heavenly god Arus? ‘Be fruitful and multiply!’ As the saying goes, the first humans had the duty to grow and multiply. ‘Great Father’ and ‘Great Mother’… “Delphirem and her sister were destined to become ‘great mothers.'”
” …… Stop.”
I managed to spit out two syllables. The panting breath didn’t subside, but she couldn’t let Emma talk any longer.
“Stop it, Emma…” Wake! You are out of your mind right now…… !”
“But there was a problem. Humanity, chosen as the ‘Great Father’, only loved her sister, not Delphi Rem, and for the first time, Delphi Rem awakened in her the emotion of ‘jealousy’ that Omeros had planted deep within humanity’s body… “In this way, one of the beings who would become the mother of all mankind was offered as a sacrifice.”
Only then does light return to Emma’s empty eyes. Why didn’t I know the bitter smile typical of someone who realized their fate?
It was the exclusive property of someone who was desperate. It seemed as if she had finally realized why the woman had been so reluctant to put her own desires first.
“But, you know that, right? The person who created the body is the evil god Omeros, but the person who created the soul is the heavenly god Arus… The poor woman’s soul returned to the arms of the Heavenly God, and after a period of purification, she returned to this world. “You don’t even know the truth that you are the ‘first sacrifice’!”
‘The first offering’.
As soon as I heard that, a topic suddenly crossed my mind.
What the Eternal Life School has been pursuing for hundreds of years, the ultimate raw material that even they could not reach and perished.
“Philosopher’s Stone… ….”
“That’s right. “That’s something modeled after me.”
It was in front of me now.
From Noble mtl dot com
Finally, with the innocent smile I knew.
“So, Ian… ….”
Another step, a step back.
But there was no longer any place to run to. The door is already closed, and the wall is right behind you.
“Eat me.”
The woman slowly raised her body and spoke. That smile seemed sad and relieved.
“I will make your wish come true.”
Spreading her arms, the woman took a step.
No, two steps.
I realized again, but there was no longer any place to run to. There was dew at the corner of the woman’s eyes, one who couldn’t tell if it was joy or sadness.
There was only one option left to me.
“As always… this…… ?”
Quick!
The other side of the hatchet blade struck Emma’s neck. She really didn’t want to do this, but she couldn’t find an answer.
Emma had already lost her mind a long time ago.
The focus in the woman’s light green eyes became blurred, and I chewed my lips as I caught her body that was about to fall over.
“…… Wow, this is really driving me crazy.”
It was the first day I stabbed Emma.