Episode 40 – The Curtain Falls, and Silence Descends

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When I was a kid, I used to go swimming in the stream next to my village every day in the summer.

The sunlight shining on the water’s surface was dazzling and beautiful,

But the big, round eyes of the little girl who was always by my side whenever I went to play were just as sparkling and beautiful.

The sounds of insects and birds from all around.

The sound of the water flowing and splashing.

Mela’s laughter.

All those sounds disappeared in an instant the moment I dove underwater.

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t hear anything at all.

Even though it seemed quiet underwater, if I closed my eyes and waited for a moment, I could hear gurgling bubbles and a humming resonance.

Back then, I wondered where that rumbling sound came from, but I grew up without ever finding the answer.

That’s probably not strange.

Because as I got older, I realized that I wasn’t learning the answers to my questions, but rather that I was losing my curiosity.

But now I know.

All those sounds were coming from my own body.

Since I wasn’t breathing, there were no bubbling sounds, and since my body wasn’t functioning, there were no vibrations, so my body didn’t make any sound.

I couldn’t hear anything in the water that filled the huge marble bathtub.

Just like in the depths of Plavis’s sea, the water was a space of silence.

I was very happy with this silence.

When I closed my eyes underwater, my body, which didn’t make any sound in a world without sound, felt like it was disappearing like a snowflake melting into the water.

On the other hand, the whole world is noisy when I’m in the air.

The sound of things bumping into each other, all sorts of rumors that go back and forth between truth and lies,

Even the sound of people rolling their eyes and heads, trying to hide their true intentions with useless words and figure out the other person’s true intentions.

In a world that’s already noisy, when I creak around with a body that doesn’t even work properly, the flame of revenge, which is the driving force behind my actions, burns even brighter, as if it’s going to burn my heart to ashes.

I once heard that oxygen is essential for burning a fire.

Maybe that’s why my desire for revenge grew bigger and sharper, becoming more and more ominous as the days went by.

It was even more so when Robin added fuel to the fire like this time.

If I were to burn all my desire for revenge in the future and only ashes remained in my heart after burning everything, I wanted to melt into the water like a snowflake with the ashes in my heart.

Into the world of silence beneath the surface.

[If you’re going to throw it away like that, I might as well take it,]

[I’ll never let that happen!]

But sadly, my cursed body doesn’t allow it.

Just like the uninvited guests in my head don’t even allow me a little silence in the bathtub.

I opened my eyes and got out of the bathtub.

As I cut through the water and stood up, the sound of splashing water hit my ears, which were exposed to the air.

“Haha, fuck my life.”

After getting out of the bathtub, I put on the gown that Mena had prepared in advance and went out of the bathroom.

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I sat in front of the fireplace and explained everything that had happened today to Lara and Lily.

Lara, who had been nodding as she listened, rested her chin on her hand and pondered where Banata might be.

Lara, tapping her lips with the index finger of her hand on her chin, slowly opened her mouth.

“It’s difficult because it’s not even certain that Jennifer is hiding Banata.”

“That’s true, but we should still have plenty of time.”

“Time for what?”

“First of all, the rumor that Baron Salvie is injured will spread quickly, so he won’t be meeting anyone for a while.”

“I guess so? Why is that?”

“If we organize what we’ve learned during the day and turn Os Gravie upside down at night, we should be able to find something, no matter where Banata is.”

Just then, Mena came with a tea set on a tray.

She silently placed the tray on the small side table next to the fireplace, picked up the kettle, and filled the cups.

Lara glanced at Mena with just her eyes, then scolded me.

“Ed, that’s too crude of a method.”

“That’s true, but I don’t think it’ll take as long as you think. I just have a feeling.”

“If you were going to look for her like that, you should have done it sooner…”

Lara stopped talking when she saw Mena’s face as she handed her a teacup, trying to refute my words.

She was always taciturn, but her expression, full of worry for her daughter, seemed to say more than a hundred words.

Lara took the teacup and nodded slightly.

“Well, your hunches have always been right.”

“A thief is finished when his instincts fail. So don’t worry, Mena. I’m sure we’ll find her.”

“Yes, I believe you.”

Mena smiled slightly and replied briefly.

She handed me a cup filled with black tea as well, but I raised my hand to refuse.

Maybe it was because my body was clean after just taking a bath, or maybe it was because I had seen too much of my own blood today, but I wanted to avoid the act of cutting open my stomach and washing my insides.

I took out a small notebook and pen from the drawer under the side table and opened a blank page.

Baron Salvie won’t be able to engage in external activities for at least a few weeks.

Finding Banata was important, but I also had to prepare for the conclusion of the revenge I had planned for Robin.

There were many other things to do, so I slowly organized my thoughts and dipped the pen in ink, starting to write.

Meet Deborah – the night after tomorrow

Find Banata

Try to grab the Holy Sword – What will happen?

Think of a plausible excuse for why Baron Salvie didn’t become an undead

– A passing nameless priest saved him? That’s not going to work, is it?

My hand, which was writing down various other things, added a line at the end.

Save the Baron’s mansion

Mena, who was standing behind me, asked me if she had read the memo I had written.

“You’re going to save the mansion?”

“Yeah, I’m going to save the mansion and throw a big party to put financial pressure on Robin.”

“Ah, Robin had to throw a party for the 20th anniversary of the victory this year.”

“You catch on quick, as expected.”

I thought of Princess Elizabeth, whom I had met a few days ago.

The ball that Robin will hold on the 20th anniversary of the victory in a few months must be held on a scale that has never been seen before.

My honest feeling was, ‘Who cares if the anniversary event is done sloppily?’ but it seems that the society of nobles doesn’t work that easily.

In addition to the symbolism of the hero who defeated the Demon King himself holding a ball, it was also a place to show off his power and wealth to the people and other nobles.

From what I’ve heard, the forces supporting the Emperor still hold the majority in noble society.

Robin and Duke Villard, who supports him with money, are trying to win over the nobles to their side through this opportunity.

Of course, no matter how much support Duke Villard has, the amount of money that goes in will be no joke.

Jennifer’s disgusting seduction and the fact that he handed over Mena, who was no different from his moral weakness, after agonizing over a large sum of money, must have been for that reason.

I smiled.

I thought of Robin, who must have been beaming at the thought of receiving Mena’s payment from me.

The thought of Robin cutting off his own son and being left alone like a cripple without receiving any money from me made me feel like it was worth turning my arm into a rag.

Tak.

I closed the notebook.

I don’t know how much money Duke Villard has, but it won’t be more than me, who has the treasures of the Demon King’s castle on my back.

Even though I was pouring a lot of money into free meals, I could buy five mansions right now if I wanted to.

I looked up at Mena, who was standing behind me, and said.

“I’ve been away from this city for 20 years, and Lara and Lily have been away for almost 15 years, so I don’t know where the good mansions are.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“So, Mena. Could you look into it for me? Pick out a few candidates.”

“Me, a mansion?”

“Why, is it too much to ask? Don’t worry. It’s not like you’re going to live there for the rest of your life.”

“…Are there any conditions you want?”

“It just needs to be big and fancy. I’m going to use it more like a party venue than a house.”

“Yes, I’ll find a few candidates.”

“Thank you,”

Mena nodded slightly with a determined expression.

＊

Night, or rather, dawn had come.

In this dark night where I can’t see anything outside the window, I was left alone again today, as usual.

There were two days left until the date my teacher, whom I met in Os Gravie last night, told me to meet her again.

There was a possibility that the man she took with her had a clue about Banata,

And I was just staring blankly at the burning bonfire because beating people up in that junkyard every day to look for Banata could harm her if she had been kidnapped.

A silent time filled only with the occasional crackling sound of the bonfire.

I was uncomfortable with this silence.

Why is the silence that felt so comfortable when I was underwater so lonely and desolate now?

Is it because of the sense of deprivation that I can’t rest while other people are sleeping?

I’m so indecisive, I guess I’m not in my right mind either.

I smiled helplessly and thought about filling the bathtub with water and submerging myself.

It was then.

“…Ed,”

When I turned around at the presence I felt behind me, there was an elf standing there wearing only a thin nightgown.

“Ed, let’s talk.”

“…Lily?”

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