<Episode 45>
***
Seven heroes from all over the continent, each with their own complex stories, risked even death to fight against the forces of darkness.
At the end of the long journey, the disaster that seemed to never end finally came to an end, and peace was restored to the world.
After parting ways with his comrades in life and death, Sion returned to the Roshan Empire, inherited the title of Duke of Bastevan, and spent the most peaceful time of his life.
Because his accomplishments were too great to be accomplished by a single person, he had to be kept in check by the imperial family, and in the end, he had to swear eternal obedience and cut off all external exchanges outside of Roshan.
But he was able to live peacefully with his beloved wife, so he was truly happy.
But was death an inseparable entity in his life?
Atara Hakalla, the Great Spirit of Water, who was his beloved wife and comrade who fought together with him against disaster, died at an early age shortly after giving birth to his only daughter.
Mariette, the child left behind by his beloved companion, suffered all sorts of indignities from the harsh world and eventually died the same death as her mother.
And the last thing left in his arms, his granddaughter, whom he had raised with desperate love, left him.
Cruelly, it was only for him.
The little child left, holding the hand of her father, who did not even seem human, saying that she would protect her grandfather and restore his status.
Sion looked at the back of the small child and felt as if his heart was clogged and not beating properly.
It felt like he was going to stop breathing and die like this.
It was painful.
Where did it all go wrong?
Was it a mistake to give up his life as a hero and swear to be loyal to the imperial family only as Duke Bastevan, as the deceased Emperor demanded?
But if he hadn’t done that…
He would have been forced to marry the princess of the Roshan Empire.
He was able to marry Atara because he swore an oath of allegiance, prepared to give up all freedom…
Sion lowered his head.
Alas, as he began to doubt every choice he had made, he became engulfed in the feeling of being trapped in a maze where he could never find an answer.
“Mariette, it’s because this father is not good. I… I only had strength like Atara said, but I didn’t have an intelligent mind… I lost you, and now I’ve lost Edith as well…..”
However, even in despair, Sion made a promise.
After decades of living comfortably as a duke of the empire, his youthful, strong body has crumbled to the ground.
Unlike his comrades, he was not born with any blessings, and had already fallen into shabby condition compared to the glory of his youth.
“Not anymore.”
He couldn’t live while giving up on everything and handing his granddaughter Edith, who he couldn’t bear to hurt, to Roberick Arne Heilian, who didn’t care if she was chopped to death.
Sion decided to regain his strength.
Now that he has lost the enormous power that was his symbol as Bastevan, it seemed that there was no way for him to regain his power again.
‘Now the apocalypse is over. We must go back to our own lives and protect ourselves.’
Only the comrades who had been with him during the time of disaster still remained on his side.
Determined, Sion crossed the border of Roshan, a border he had not crossed for decades.
This was also the freedom that his granddaughter gave him back, even at the cost of sacrificing herself.
“……It’s so easy…”
His heart felt empty.
But at the same time, the shackles that were restricting his ankles were no longer there, so he could no longer feel restricted.
Was this freedom?
Edith, you were the one to give me this freedom back.
Sion set off on a long journey with a faint smile born of bitter feelings.
***
The journey was long and arduous.
Even the slightest distortion caused his old body to immediately break down, and his physical strength had fallen to the point where it was considered pitiful compared to the past.
However, Sion did not give up and continued his journey.
Except for Mekaila, who lives as the chairman of Litera, we had to inquire about the whereabouts of all of our comrades who were said to be living in seclusion with no trace.
“……What is it, Sion?! Why are you coming out here?!”
“It’s been a while, David.”
And I realized one thing.
His comrades, whom he had not been able to see for various complex reasons, also lived lives no different from his own.
“…What did you think it would be like to be a descendant of a fallen nation and get the title of Great Spirit Master? There were a lot of people who wanted to use or suppress him. It’s been over twenty years since I killed them all and went into hiding.”
“…Yes, you were no different from me.”
“Hmph, haven’t you lived in luxury for decades? Of course, it’s no different from me now. Anyway, enough of my story… How have you been living all this time? How long has it been since Judith’s funeral? At that time, I was so devastated that I couldn’t even exchange proper greetings.”
One of his former comrades left earlier than us, and his companion, Atara, also died after giving birth to Mariette, leaving only five heroes of the past seven remaining.
“-That guy who sent his daughter to Litera without even showing his nose, but he has no shame in asking for help now.”
“…Sion?! How are you here… Oh my god, is David next to you?”
Sion earnestly asked his comrades, who showed various reactions.
“I have a request. I can’t leave my granddaughter like this to the enemy who took everything from me, so one day, when my granddaughter is about to escape her biological father’s clutches…”
The only wish he had while choosing this arduous journey was….
“Even If it’s just one of you, please reach out to that child. Protect that child from the Heilian Archduke and the Roshan Empire, and be her strength.”
Ultimately, it was to prepare a plan to protect his granddaughter who would move to achieve her own freedom.
“What… are you asking me to come back after so many decades?!”
“Why don’t you get up right now? Why are you kneeling, between us?”
Fortunately, they did not forget their past faithfulness.
Sion’s comrades immediately accepted his request without a single objection.
As he faced the comrades who had promised him as if it was only natural, his throat felt like it was clogged, and a complicated recollection flooded in like a flood, quietly eroding Sion’s heart.
Sion was filled with remorse and cried quietly.
A brilliant reputation, a great achievement, and a love that was like a miracle.
Although nothing remained of him anymore, it did not mean that everything he had built up during his intense life had collapsed.
After letting Edith go and resolving the issue that weighed most heavily on his mind.
On a day when he took a break to make his next plan and move on.
“You……!”
Sion was caught in astonishment as he looked at the unexpected guest who came to visit him.
“…It’s been a long time since I saw you, your Excellency Duke Bastevan.”
The child he raised with Mariette and Roberick as if he were his own child.
Meinhard Ciel Astrape suddenly appeared in front of Sion, his brilliant golden hair flowing.
***
“A mad dog crazy about blood….”
My grandfather?
Nonsense. He may be a bit harsh in his words, but he is by no means a person with a cruel temperament…
That old lady was exaggerating a bit. That’s clear.
“Anyway, Roberick…”
I might have let my vengeance down for a moment.
I thought it was funny and pitiful that he showed such hesitation and despair at my words to the point that he looked like a fool.
And…..
Maybe, he wouldn’t be that dangerous of an opponent.
If he was the he would have never deceived me and would have only told me the truth.
If, in the distant future… he truly regrets the past and asks for forgiveness, then I…. would not bear to take revenge.
“No.”
I cut out all the emotions that were stirring and shook my head vigorously.
But at this moment, everything became clear.
Roberick was a man who could never be trusted.
So, it will never happen that I harbor human feelings toward him in the future.
What exists between him and me…is nothing but a vain relationship of being used and exploited.
“Let’s go back and watch…”
I barely contained my surging anger and looked at the battlefield, which was still chaotic but seemed to be clearing up compared to before.
A countless number of thunderbolts clad in enormous brilliance were struck from the air, making it impossible to open one’s eyes.
It was made by an influential person who was presumed to rule over the Thunder War, and who clearly possesses the power of the Spirit King of Electricity…
“…A young person?”
Unlike all other elderly people of similar age to my grandfather, this was a man whose face and whole body were not properly visible due to his white robe, but who clearly showed a youthful appearance.
Through the gap between the hem of his white robe his golden hair resembling the lightning he unleashed fluttered in the wind.
Who was he?
Actually, it wasn’t that important.
I just wanted to look at him closely to satisfy my curiosity that suddenly arose.
“……..”
I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if he knew about it.
He turned his head to look at where I was standing, and our eyes met in the air.
Jet-black eyes that could not transmit any light stared at me motionlessly.
It was a color that contrasted with the brilliant power that brightened the dark night.
I couldn’t turn my head away from the eyes that gave me a strange feeling.
“You…!!”
At that very moment, a voice like the growling of an animal lingered in my ears.
“Riat…!”
I realized who the voice was and turned around, taking a deep breath.
There was a man there, with his back turned to the black night, glaring at the light falling from the sky.
“…He is the king of Nisha.”
The grandmother uttered softly, covering me and Ashamed as if to protect us.
At that moment, a black afterimage appeared in Riat’s grasp.
When I first saw that scene, I thought it looked like an old moon that had lost its light and was eaten at night, and its trajectory.
The grandmother who was protecting us took one step toward the battlefield.
“You are the leader!”
Another old woman, who had been attacking Nisha’s spiritists by making all kinds of huge plants grow from the ground, discovered Riat and changed the target of her attack.
Bang! Bang!
They completely disappeared without a trace.
“…..this”
It’s as if it never even existed in the first place.
The grandmother who was handling the plants had a look of embarrassment on her face.
“I never thought Nisha’s royal family would show up. It’s become quite tricky.”
No matter how strong the grandmothers and grandfathers who appeared with grandfather were…
I nervously looked at the situation and chewed my lips.
How can they win against Riat’s power that destroys all attacks?
“…It’s like there’s nothing you can see.”
Her eyes filled with intellectual light caught a glimpse of me.
“The reason is…”
The grandmother who was standing in front of us, protecting us, muttered softly and turned around with a light sigh.
Then she spoke in a firm tone
“You go into that forest.”
“Yes?”
I asked back in confusion.
The forest that the grandmother’s fingertips point to is…
“…Over there where I can’t see anything?”
There was a pitch-black forest where we could not see an inch in front of us, so much so that it would not be surprising to say that the darkness, the night, was waiting for us there with its mouths wide open.
“It is better to escape to the forest than to stay here. I also have to go to the battle, so I can’t cover you any more.”
Riat, it was a moment when I became more resentful of that person’s creepy obsession.
Even so, I hesitated because I couldn’t take my foot off of the ground, so Ashamed grabbed my hand and walked ahead.
***
TL:
There are still 6 left..
