episode_0558

As I walked down the windy hill, I felt depressed.

Regret that I should have moved a little earlier. Resentment toward myself from a few hours ago for not having secured the feathers of the wind bird quickly instead of being stubborn. And anger toward the Saryong Tetato for blowing this last chance for reconciliation.

I just blew away a precious opportunity that I had built up over the past few days and hours just because of a single dragon. Why, of all things. That dragon appeared at that damned scene.

‘That doesn’t make sense, really… .’

Why on earth did the guy who popped out from the center of the Demon Realm in the latter half of Part 4 fly all the way to the northeastern grasslands?

Even though it was a place adjacent to the northeastern city of Maga, something was strange. It was obvious that a warrior or another character had intervened somewhere… .

“Sigh… .”

But, what. What’s the use of finding out the method now? The wind birds have already scattered or disappeared in the breath of the dragon.

And there was no way I could meet the warrior alone and ask him what had happened. Now it was time for me to return to Blackwood Estate and prepare to become the prospective Duchess.

Since the schedule is already late, we can’t delay it any longer. In the end, we have no choice but to forget about the sunken costs and focus on the work that needs to be done right away.

“Release, are you okay? If you’re having a hard time, should I carry you?”

“… It’s okay. Just accept my heart, Ethan. ”

“That… Let’s go back to Blackwood Estate and look into the Windbird’s Feather again. Maybe there’s a chance to find it in Blackwood Estate too.”

“… I wish that were the case.”

If it were that easy to find in the first place, I wouldn’t have bothered coming all the way here.

There was no need for Sally or Say’s power again. In the first place, I was not in a hero party, and I would never set foot in the Demon Realm where the Demon King was.

It’s funny to deny that he was involved in the subjugation of the Four Heavenly Kings at the time, but anyway.

And this battle wasn’t fought with any help from Sally or Say. I joined the hero party and Lilia joined, but if it hadn’t been for the party of the Gyeomjo Segi, it would have been a battle that had nothing to do with me.

So, just once. At least I wanted to have a proper farewell with Seiwa.

Even if she didn’t accept my apology, I just wanted to use the feather of the wind bird to see Sayi’s face for a moment.

I couldn’t help but shed tears because it was so frustrating that even that small wish couldn’t come true.

“Ugh,uhh… .”

“Release… .”

“Senior Release… .”

Ethan and Lilia looked at me with pity, as if they were bothered by my sulking appearance.

Those two people’s gazes felt burdensome for no reason, so I quickly wiped away my tears and smiled for no reason.

“I’m sorry for making you feel depressed. I just, just feel a little sad.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“I know that Sei is doing well. I don’t know why, but I know that she stays by Eris’ side. All I wanted was to see her face and talk to her one last time. I just wanted to apologize for always acting selfishly, and… say goodbye and wish her well in the future… That’s all I wanted to do… ”

… I tried to stop talking and raised my head because I thought it would only make me feel depressed if I continued. The sky was so clear considering that I had just fought a battle with a dragon.

After five hours of hiking and three hours of fighting, my only reward was two level-ups and a few pieces of dragon scale, but I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing because things weren’t going the way I wanted.

It took a little while for me to stop crying and take each step down the mountain with all my heart.

-Wheww.

“… … Huh?”

A lone bird flying alone fluttered before me.

⁎⁎⁎

I couldn’t believe it even though I saw it with my own two eyes.

Because the windbird, which I thought had clearly been destroyed in the battle with the dragon, was still fluttering before my eyes.

I was wondering if maybe I was just hallucinating because I had been wishing for it so desperately, but then Lilia and Edan started to panic as they pointed to the windbirds fluttering before their eyes.

“Lee, release… ! What the heck… .”

“It’s definitely a nightingale. I don’t know why there’s only one, though… .”

… Yes, I know that too. That thing I see before my eyes is a wind bird, a bundle of magical power that the Barbarians call a nightingale.

It’s a natural phenomenon that usually occurs in areas untouched by human hands and rich in magical power, but why did one suddenly emerge alone from the middle of the mountain?

Although I had many questions, I had only one thought in mind. I absolutely could not miss the opportunity to meet Seiwa.

‘Feather, I have to get a feather somehow.’

His steps moved as if he was possessed by something.

Without even knowing how to get the feathers, I just went for it.

But it was much better than doing nothing and wasting another opportunity. So, I just. Opened my hands and cautiously took one step at a time as I approached the wind bird.

-Slurp.

“… … .”

-Bam.

“… … Huh?”

The breeze that briefly rose above my palm left a short trail of magical energy before disappearing immediately.

“… … .”

Although it was the first time I had seen this object since I was born, I could tell that it was the ‘feather of the wind bird’ that I had been looking for.

It was light and faint, as if it would disappear at any moment if I moved my hand even a little, but it was true.

‘… Say.’

“… … .”

‘Say, say. Please, meet me just once. I want to talk to Say one last time, please.’

“… … .”

Are you listening to my earnest request? Or am I just mumbling to myself in the air?

Even though I felt the feathers of the wind bird on my hand gradually fading away, I desperately called out to Sayi.

‘Say! Please, just once, just one last time…!’

‘…Okay, release.’

‘…yes?’

‘There is a last story and time.’

-Wheww.

After a small gust of wind blew above the palm where the windbird’s feather was, a girl with only a palm appeared.

It was a precious moment of reunion in Yamaguchi, Japan, after more than a year and a half had passed.

‘Say!’

‘… release.’

‘I’m sorry, Sei. I’m sorry that I continued to act selfishly even though I’ve always received help from Sei. I’m sorry that I never listened to Sei’s advice and only asked for your help. I’m sorry that it’s been two years since Sei left me and that I’m apologizing so late, and also… .’

‘know.’

‘…yes?’

‘Because I saw it. Keep going.’

“… … .”

‘Together, with Iris, continue.’

… As expected, he was by Reese’s side the whole time.

I finally felt relieved when I was sure that what I saw that day was not another wind spirit, but Seira. I could feel safe keeping her by Eris’ side.

From the days when I went to the academy to the day I ran away from home with a useless misunderstanding. If she had tolerated my stubbornness and self-willed personality for so many years, she would take good care of Iris.

‘I’ll accept the apology.’

‘… Is that true, Sei?’

‘But now, I can’t see you. I’m sorry.’

‘……yes?’

‘I, Eris, contract. Simple, contract, but, contract.’

“… … .”

‘So, release. Now, I can’t see you. Sorry.’

… Yeah, that’s what it was.

Because I made a temporary contract with Iris, I can no longer maintain my contract with her.

For that reason, it was inevitable. If Seiga had chosen to stay by Eris’ side instead of me, then I should respect her decision.

Normally, it would be impossible for a spirit that has already made a contract to make a contract with another person, but Eris was my child by blood.

If I think about it, it’s not impossible that I transferred the contract to Eris when I was still ‘one’ with her.

… If you match the time Seiga disappeared with the time I was pregnant, it’s roughly the same.

‘Well then, I guess there’s nothing I can do.’

‘I’m sorry, Lilith. But… .’

‘I know that too. If Seiga were to leave Eris now, Eris would probably be sad. I’m Eris’s mother too, so I don’t really want to see my daughter sad.’

‘… … Yes, thank you.’

‘Instead, we’ll meet again after Iris makes a formal contract. I’ll wait until Iris can make a formal contract with an intermediate spirit.’

‘… Yeah, okay.’

‘… I will continue to take good care of Iris. Our time together was short, but I still had fun thanks to you.’

‘I had fun too, Release.’

With those last words, the poem scatters again like a branch of wind.

It was the moment of separation that came again, but I was no longer sad. Because we met again at the last moment and said our farewells firmly, and I also knew that this separation was not a permanent one.

‘Then, the contract is over, release.’

Just before disappearing, she became a gust of wind and lingered around Eris with her last words.

Although I felt a little jealous of my daughter who slept in Ethan’s arms without knowing anything about the world, it was a satisfactory enough parting.