27. Merry Christmas.
***
I have seen such a sentence in a book I read a long time ago.
‘If you don’t open your hands, you can’t hold anything.’
If you want to gain everything, you must be prepared to give up everything. In a way, it is a short proverb that is trite and not taken for granted.
The last at the end.
“Licht.”
Just as I was about to give up my life for the last time, the light that saved my life was at my feet again.
“Saintess, how did you come here….”
To be honest, I had no complaints. After coming to Grand Hearts Academia, I met a lot of good people,
“Your smell, tone, body temperature. Everything is the same.”
I made unforgettable memories and also protected other students from the demon kings tricks.
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Dennis and the Heavenly Horse. I tried to help couples like Kynell and Ariel.
There were various skits because Mardol was misunderstood as the crown prince, but it was a few months that weren’t too bad.
“..As expected, this kid is you.”
I can confidently say that I was the happiest of the five years I was obsessed with games. Actually, it was a pity that I couldn’t meet our saintess.
“Licht… I was worried.”
I never dreamed of a reunion like this. No, it makes sense because I’m already in a nightmare.
“Whoops, even if the face and body are different, I can understand.”
Slightly high-pitched tone, whooping laughter, happy wagging tail and cute wolf ears lying on back.
A person who looked like a nameless saint hugged me and opened her mouth softly. Due to the close distance between me and her bloodstream, it felt as if they were connected.
“I understand. That you are.”
My heart started beating like crazy when I saw her pure white as she appeared in front of my eyes. Certainly, the heartbeat in my heart that had been static and quiet until just now,
‘..Even a kaleidoscope before dying would be fine.’
Like starting an engine, like lighting firewood.
‘Even a hallucination is fine.’
I fluctuated as I added more weight to my emotions. You idiot. Calm down. Her fingertips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“..Are you hurt?”
I was concerned about the burns all over her body. It’s because it’s an apostle’s attack, why is the trauma so realistic? Don’t hurt this person.
“No, I am not hurt.”
Just at this moment, I felt so sorry that I was injured while fighting the fire to save myself.
“Don’t lie.”
Looking straight at her slightly burnt face, we locked eyes for a moment.
“I got caught. I thought you wouldn’t know because I didn’t notice.”
“Not that stupid.”
Golden wolf eyes shone as if breaking through the darkness. Cold but pretty eyes.
“Are you stupid?”
“Why am I stupid?”
Smooth, shiny, pure white hair with a subtle rose scent.
“You only like breasts. Perverted Richt.”
“No. I am such a person….”
Actually, it would be the first time the saintess saw me, so it was normal for her not to know me. Thinking back to Servi before, it was very contradictory.
“Don’t lie.”
“…”
‘I like it because it’s you. I’m not interested in other girls. Exercised the right to remain silent.
“..Besides. Licht.”
Looking at what I’m doing now, it must be my last wish to see you in the environment of a dream.
“You tried to die alone again. Am I wrong?”
“..That’s right.”
“Don’t do that. Bad.”
People have a unique atmosphere. I felt a sense of nostalgia somewhere. The person who always punished me when I tried to make the wrong choice.
[Knight, did you try to protect people in advance by leaving the party without permission again? Let’s move together..!]
She is the one I have always longed for in her memory.
The prequel has a time difference of 5 years in the original work and 10 years in the sequel.
‘Did I really want to go to the academy with the saint? It’s not a white nun’s uniform, it’s an academy outfit.’
I couldn’t understand why he appeared so slightly young. Aren’t I also a traumatic childhood?
“Now let’s go out together.”
“I understand.”
I took her hand. Size difference. It is a soft, pure white woman’s hand. As soon as her fingertips touched her body trembled like an electric current,
“Whoops, Licht, your face is red.”
Her face flushed. It makes you want to hide even in a mouse hole. Wasn’t it a wolf character?
The saintess who is raising me now has a charming smile like a fox.
“It’s because it’s hot.”
“It’s winter now, isn’t it? There’s no fire magic here, so it’s very cold….”
Contrary to the tone of the saintess I know, she speaks in short language. It was a tone I had heard somewhere, but I was so embarrassed that my brain stopped thinking.
I’m already enjoying a Midsummer Night’s Christmas, and I don’t care if it’s a trap.
“I am hot. Holy Maiden.”
I hated the disappearance of her now in front of her eyes.
***
Fine Grancia could recognize her young Licht at a glance.
Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen his bare face, and there’s not even a burn mark to distinguish him from others, so if a third person saw him, he could have overlooked it.
She instinctively noticed the respectful tone, the characteristic smell, and her slightly cold hands.
Besides, to Fine, his brown eyes looked cool, unlike the humans of this world. The moment of the decisive battle with Magic Hat, the pupils peeking through his helmet.
Because he was the eye of the black knight who did not hesitate to burn everything, including his own life, in order to save people like himself.
There shouldn’t be much of a difference, but why does it feel so special?
But even she was slightly dissatisfied. While escaping the burning hospital in search of Licht.
“Saintess, over there.”
“Yes, I understand. Licht.”
Just like last time, he is the one who came to rescue Licht right in front of him, but why is this man only looking for a woman called Saint? I had a small heartache.
‘..Do I look like an unknown saint to Licht or someone doing something?’
Here is his trauma. In other words, it reproduces the human mind and memory as it is.
Because of this, it was understandable if he could recognize himself as the most precious person. The boy I had just seen also looked at him and only mentioned gray hair, not wolf ears.
‘Annoying..’
Jealous, Fine bit her lower lip. The unique white fangs of the Yinrang tribe were revealed.
“Let’s go up the stairs over there. Maybe the main building is open.”
The space between the eyebrows narrowed. I was clearly running towards the exit through the black smoke, but a corner of my heart and all my nerves were elsewhere.
“..Saint?”
Seeing her like that, the young Licht opened his eyes wide and asked. Her face, apparently hidden behind her helmet, must have been like this.
“I’ll take a look. Licht.”
“Yes? What do you mean?”
“There is no next time.”
Looking at the confused boy who didn’t know what she was thinking, she unconsciously drew an arc at the corner of her mouth. Licht, who looked like this, probably didn’t even know that she was that saint.
‘I won.’
Satisfaction welled up in her heart at the sense that she had won.
Just like that, Fine runs while holding Licht, and avoids the heat and flames together, just before the two men and women leave the hospital.
“..What?”
“I am blocked. Licht.”
Contrary to what the man said, the large glass door that seemed to be the last bastion was blocked from going out due to the wreckage of the building.
***
I felt a sense of incongruity with concrete and steel frames blocking the hospital’s main entrance.
‘I can’t do this.’
Obviously I have escaped through this place in the past, and I know that when the firefighters came to extinguish the fire, it was through the entrance of the main building.
“..Collock. Richt, it’s okay. I..!”
“No. You drank too much smoke.”
The Platinum Wolf was struggling to clear away the large debris, but looking at his breathing and condition, it was already impossible.
Why? If I had to die, wouldn’t it just be me? At least save my precious person.
“..Damn it.”
I felt weird. Am I unable to do anything in the past or now?
‘No, it’s different from the old days.’
There is a nameless saintess next to me. She is who she is, although she wears the academy’s attire and is a bit different from what I remember of her.
“Just a little more… be patient.”
“Licht?!”
I faced a fire situation with my eyes wide open. Cold sweat flows
It’s been difficult to breathe, but it’s getting more and more difficult to breathe. She forced her trembling feet to move forward.
“I believe in love.”
When I activated the fake holy sword, a drop of water fell from the ceiling, and a cobalt-colored sword appeared at my feet.
‘Isn’t it wrong to make it rain indoors? Then..!’
Unfortunately, it doesn’t rain. Cannot activate teleportation ability.
I stretched out my hand toward the blazing fire. This is like the world in my image. Because of that, there was one thing I could do better than anyone else.
‘Heart Sword. I just need to pull out a new sword from my heart.’
Now there is even a nameless saintess by my side whom I have been looking for so much. As it is, she can’t lose this person in the fire.
‘The past cannot be changed. But now it can be changed.’
This situation is not the trauma I remembered. I don’t know if it’s fate or coincidence, but there’s someone next to me that I can trust and rely on.
“Saintess, you are not alone with bad memories…. We will overcome it together.”
I looked back and bluffed. If our saintess were there, the flames would be this much. You can get close to it any number of times. For her sake, I would jump into her hellfire.
“People are weak, but we can rely on each other.”
She grinned at her as she raised her sword. That moment,
“Licht.. Your body.. Is it normal?”
“Oh, really.”
The field of view, which had always seemed low, has increased. I was surprised and touched her face, and even the bumpy burn marks came back.
‘I didn’t want to show the saintess such an ugly side. She can’t help it.’
My breathing returned to normal a little. She was still afraid of fire, but she wasn’t so cowardly that she couldn’t make her way out for her.
My love for the saintess was greater than this flame.
“..I believe in love.”
I was tired and laughed out loud. Also, pure love is invincible. She once again uttered an incantation calling for her holy sword.
Coo-woong!
A lever-like black structure fell from the ceiling with a sound. A sword that looks like a polished, sophisticated mechanism.
No, is this black? As if to plug it in somewhere. Only the pulling end took the shape of a sharp sword.
“Because the first sword was a conviction…. The name of the second sword.”
The past is the past. It is like a scar that cannot be erased. After all, what can be changed is the future, and it is the present self who does it.
It’s time to say goodbye to old memories. It was right to continue to feel and live with guilt, but it shouldn’t hurt others who were innocent.
“Contemplation, recall.”
I hugged the saintess next to me, curiously looking at her heart sword and her ears pricked up.
“Hold tight. It will shake a little bit.”
“Ah.. Ah, I get it.”
The white tail has changed to an exclamation point. That’s interesting. Is this a characteristic of dogs and animals?
Clap.
I drew a notion. Then, Ku-gu-gung-. A heart sword that emits a mechanical sound that sounds like a sophisticated device moving.
‘「Stage Select」 At the bottom… It said.’
I noticed this letter from the beginning. If you pull this, you can get out of this hospital.
“..Licht? What did you do?”
Maybe it’s the ability to randomly change terrain features. In an instant, the scenery around me began to change like a wheel.
“It’s just a common skill.”
Choose a map before starting in the game, isn’t it obvious? Our saintess had no reason to explain further.
***
So the two of us moved out of the hospital. This is how it works
“..Are you okay? Holy Maiden.”
“…”
“Saint? Are you okay?!”
“..Uh?, Uh, uh yeah, I’m fine. Licht.”
That’s good. There was no response when I called, so I thought he had lost his mind. I made sure she was safe and released her embrace.
“..It’s snow.”
“It’s a white Christmas. It’s been a day.”
“What does that mean?”
Small and cute snowflakes falling from the sky.
“There is such a thing. You look alike.”
It was exactly the same as the pure white woman in front of me. White snow that falls on Christmas like Taiyaki, like a nameless saint.
Blessed weather, blessed days,
“..Nice to meet you. Holy Maiden.”
A blessed person who should always be happy was standing in front of my eyes.
When I had some spare time, I recited the line I wanted to say so much. Even if it was a midsummer night’s dream, even if it was a fleeting fantasy that would disappear when I opened my eyes, I liked it.
“This is not our first time. Licht.”
“hahahaha, is that so?”
I did my best to leave no regrets behind. But the way you talk is very similar to someone I know. Who was it….
“..Suhyeon hyung? Are you my brother?”
“Youngmin Kim..?”
It was then. A young child in a wheelchair approached us. Wheel marks on lightly covered snow.
“Thank God! Santa noona saved you..!”
A child wearing a red beanie was smiling brightly at me. How can you be such a naive and kind child?
“Do you recognize me? Youngmin..?”
“Of course not! But suddenly you became an adult..?
I must have had burn marks on my face, made me look ugly, and my height and body had changed so much that they recognized me.
“Oh, I see! Suhyeon hyung is a superhero on TV!”
“..That can’t be.”
I shook my head. Her lower lip was pulled horizontally, and the emotions she had been hiding burst out.
“I am not like that. Youngmin. What kind of hero is someone who can’t even protect a child?”
“Hyung, are you crying?”
“I’m sorry. Youngmin. Really… I’m sorry…”
My knees automatically fell to the floor. I apologized to the child in front of me. It won’t be told anymore, but I apologized several times.
“Brother! Do not cry! Pop!”
“If I had paid more attention… At least if I had known in advance that you weren’t there when I got out, I could have saved you….”
“Soohyun hyung, did you eat something wrong? Heroes don’t cry!”
A child was patting an adult on the shoulder and trying to stop crying. I don’t know what the saintess next to me will look at me for, but I’m an ugly and dirty person.
“..I’m sorry that hyung wasn’t enough.”
I was happy with the relief that I had managed to save it, but I felt disgusted with myself for being able to change the past like this.
“It’s okay. Suhyeon hyung… I don’t know what’s going on….”
“…”
“..It’s not your fault. In the end, thanks to you, I came out of the hospital like this!”
The boy in the wheelchair held my hand and talked. Fortunately, he appeared to be fine with no injuries anywhere.
“Actually, I was curious about what was in the gift bag behind the Christmas tree, so I thought about sneaking into the auditorium at night…. I was more curious about Rudolph!”
A boy who awkwardly scratches the back of his head and tells me the truth of the incident. That’s how it happened. It must have changed because I tried to sacrifice myself this time instead.
“So there is no need to feel too guilty. Suhyun hyung.”
Even if the past cannot be changed, I might have wanted to hear one or two words like this.
A story that is not your fault.
That’s not a complete indulgence, and I’ll probably live with the guilt all the time.
“The firefighters say…The place is completely collapsed now.”
“..Thank God. In fact, there was no Rudolph.”
I finally felt relieved and sighed. At that moment, a boy named Youngmin saw me and shouted, covering his mouth in surprise.
“I have a sister Santa, so why not have one? It’s right next to you!”
Wait, what? Is there only our saintess next to me right now? I suddenly felt uncomfortable and looked up.
“Hello. Kid.”
“Hello! Santa Sister! You just saw us..!”
A nameless saintess greets a boy in a wheelchair with a small wave of her hand.
“..Hmm, is this person’s name Suhyeon hyung?”
Wait, I think I might come up with an idea. That tone of voice and cold, but warm behavior.
“No! To be exact, Lee Soo-hyun!”
“I understand. I will remember it.”
Unlike our saintess, someone who doesn’t call me ‘Knight’ or even Lee Soo-hyun.
No way, no way…. No. It won’t be.
“..Licht. Your name must have been Lee Soo-hyun.”
“Saint. You are our saintess right..? Isn’t that what I think?”
I took a step back. As far as I know, there is only one such person.
A noble glass knight. Mardol Grancia.
She liked her cuteness and sweet things.
Thinking about it, I kept feeling like I had seen it somewhere. In fact, what if you weren’t a black-haired Inrang? Assumptions swirled around in my head.
“No, I am not a saint.”
“Maybe Mardol….”
“…That’s actually not my real name either. Licht.”
The pure white woman shook her head in denial.
The white ears and tail were slightly lowered, and the beautiful wolf eyes, shining golden, were looking right through me.
“This.. Is still the dream of the apostle of gluttony..? Tell me yes please..!!”
“Licht… I am not your dream. The real me out there….”
It felt so realistic. In the first place, dreams are based on my unconscious.
I couldn’t have noticed this. That’s the real Mardol. You can tell instinctively.
“Well, then how did you get into my trauma?!”
“..With your hands crossed?”
“…”
I’m at a loss for words. Then our saintess was a glass knight, and I already had things like this with her….
“Ah, if you don’t believe it, you can now link Masterpiece. Shall I show you?”
“It’s in my memory, but how…!”
“Because it’s not just your memory anymore. Licht.”
For some reason, the eyes I saw inside the helmet were pretty. She placed her hand on her chest and murmured to me gravely.
“I don’t know who you saw in your trauma. But Licht.”
The pure white wolf’s ears pricked up a little. No, no matter how you look at it, our saintess is right….
“Since you told me your real name, it would be polite to let me know too.”
In an instant, the masterpiece was overlaid on Fine, and she became like a large white crystal.
“..Pine.”
With a small and cute voice, the white-haired girl smiled and opened her mouth. As if you want me to remember these words clearly.
“My real name is Fine Grancia.”
As I wore the glass armor and helmet again, the nameless saintess told me her name.
FINALLY, the moment I have been waiting for.