Ode to Humanity

I am Cain, known as the Gray Saint.

I record our story in this testament.

We were a special forces unit created to subjugate Eguin, the calamity of the North.

Lake, the leader of all.

Lurond, the Knight of Noon.

Cain, the Gray Saint.

Sam, the Red-Faced.

Mitra, the Witch of Light.

Elua, the Immortal.

Dale, the White-Eyed.

The twin spear masters, Galle and Galle.

The special forces unit, comprised of nine individuals reputed to be the strongest in the North, located Eguin hidden in the Sea of Darkness after a long pursuit. After a three-day battle, the unit beheaded Eguin.

But the concept of death did not exist for a demon.

As Eguin tried to revive, Lake sacrificed himself to trap Eguin within his body.

I proposed that we head to the Holy Land with the intention of purifying the demon inside Lake’s body, and we carried the unconscious Lake towards the Holy Land.

Eguin’s subordinates pursued us, and the special forces unit headed to the end of the earth, never giving up on Lake.

Due to the battle with Eguin, the Sea of Darkness had fallen deeper into darkness and become more ferocious. The only bridge to the Holy Land had crumbled, leaving only traces, and the demonic energy in Lake’s body grew stronger.

It seemed impossible to cross the Sea of Darkness, which swallowed everything that approached, by boat.

Mitra, Lake’s lover and the Witch of Light, used all her power to create a path of light towards the Holy Land.

While she maintained the path, we headed to the Holy Land, promising to return without fail when the moon rose.

We arrived at the Holy Land, and I tried to purify Lake using the magic recorded there. But it failed, and Lake, regaining consciousness for a moment, asked us to seal him away.

I put the awakened Lake back to sleep. And I desperately prayed to God to give us an answer.

I needed God more desperately than ever before. But God, as always, gave me no answer.

Knowing better than anyone how important it was to eliminate Eguin, the calamity of the North, we tried to seal Lake in the basement with tears in our eyes.

But Eguin awakened, and he desperately resisted. His subordinates from the Sea of Darkness answered his call and appeared, attacking the temple.

The twin spear masters, Galle and Galle, headed to the entrance, saying they would hold out until we returned. They would be able to buy us enough time.

Lake, suppressing Eguin, asked us to cut off his limbs, and Sam, the Red-Faced, his close friend, swung his sword while shedding tears.

But before long, Eguin awakened again, and we had to escape the basement as if fleeing. We tried to seal the basement once more, but Eguin desperately resisted, trying to escape the basement.

I, who was called a saint by the people, could no longer help but doubt God. We failed to save Lake, and we failed to seal him. If God would not answer, then we had to find the answer ourselves.

I thought of a combined magic that used both purification magic and sealing magic recorded in the Holy Land at the same time. Using that magic required everyone’s sacrifice.

We were a special forces unit to defeat the calamity. Just as Lake had sacrificed himself without hesitation, there was no one among us who was not prepared.

However, I cannot help but question at the very end.

If God loves us, how can demons exist?

If God loves us, why does He not give us an answer?

Does God really exist?

If Eguin is sealed, he will not be able to awaken unless the basement door is forcibly opened.

I have conflicting feelings: I hope that our tragic and heroic sacrifice will be remembered for a long time, and I hope that the temple will be forgotten in everyone’s memory so that the calamity of Eguin will remain in the darkness forever with us.

I leave the choice to you who read this testament.

***

I read the interpretation written by Lotos. Now the question was resolved.

The skeleton that blocked me from invading the temple must have been the twin spear masters, Galle and Galle. Even as skeletons, they kept their promise to guard the door.

I handed the interpretation to Illiad, who was looking at me with an expectant expression. Navier, who was next to him, leaned in, saying she wanted to see it together.

I sighed. And unlike Lotos, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. Because I know one more fact that Lotos doesn’t know.

Cain, who had believed in God his entire life to the point of being called a saint. He doubted his lifelong belief only at the very end. He questioned why God didn’t answer and doubted His existence.

But I know that God had already answered Cain. He had proof that God existed in his hands. However, he never knew until the end that the fountain pen was the answer.

At first, I thought that the plausibility worked arbitrarily to create a plausible story.

But now it sounded like a very mischievous joke that God was throwing at me.

,…I see, so that’s the story.”

I heard Illiad’s murmur. When I raised my head, I saw Navier, her eyes moist, biting her lip tightly.

,It was a story of great heroes forgotten in memory.”

As Illiad said that with a sigh, Lotos and Navier slowly nodded.

I didn’t nod. The story isn’t over yet. If I know this, I will be able to find out the complete truth about the lighthouse.

,Do you happen to have a book about the language of flowers?”

It may have been a question out of context, but Illiad nodded without question.

Illiad ordered a servant to find a book about the language of flowers in Illia’s study. After a while, the servant returned with a book in his hand.

I took the book and quickly looked through the contents. And I found what I was looking for on one page.

I said to no one in particular.

,There was someone who desperately waited for a hero forgotten in memory.”

I placed the opened page on the table so that everyone could see it. Navier, who had good observational skills, noticed that it was the flower carved on the door frame of the lighthouse.

,Evening primrose….”

,Yes, evening primrose. The language of the flower is… waiting.”

Cain promised Mitra that he would return when the moon rose. But even when the moon rose, they could not return. Mitra believed in and waited for that promise her whole life, desperately waiting for her lover and her comrades to return.

For them, who would return someday, she built a lighthouse and lit it every day. As time passed, everyone forgot the reason for lighting the lighthouse. Only the earnestness she left behind was passed down to future generations.

Like the evening primrose that blooms when the moon rises.

When the moon rises, light the fire for them to return.

It was such a… ridiculous story.

Illiad comforted Navier, who was crying. Thanks to the handkerchief that Lotos handed me, I belatedly realized that my fingernails were digging into my palm, causing it to bleed.

I released my clenched fist and wiped the blood with the handkerchief. The stinging pain felt dull, perhaps because of the stuffiness in my chest.

Silence flowed in the room for a moment. Everyone took time to organize their thoughts. After a while, Illiad opened his mouth.

,As Cain said, we have to choose now. To let the entire continent know about their sacrifice. Or to destroy the lighthouse and bury the temple forever in the darkness with the demon Eguin…. Ross, the choice is yours, who revealed the secret.”

From the moment I learned that the demon was sealed, I had made one uneasy assumption. In the original work, the vice-leader obtains God’s fountain pen. And he would have seen the testament left by Cain. The vice-leader, who realized that the demon was sealed, would have done the obvious thing. He would have broken the seal. Because the cult and the Demon King were in a cooperative relationship.

I set the story that the eastern border would collapse a few years later, and soon after, the northern barrier would also collapse due to the demon’s attack.

Now, a plausible reason has been created for how the demon appeared in the North. That demon was Eguin.

Eguin, who had his seal broken, was building up his strength in the Sea of Darkness, waiting for the right time.

There was only one choice I could make, knowing that.

,Their story must be forgotten as it is. If the fact that the ancient demon Eguin is sealed is revealed, someone might try to use it.”

Everyone nodded at my words. It was bitter that their sacrifice ultimately did not become a story, but it was better than making that sacrifice in vain.

,Okay, I’ll help you destroy the lighthouse.”

Illiad said that as he got up from his seat, and Lotos followed suit.

,I want to see the lighthouse with my own eyes, so I’ll come along.”

Navier had finished preparing to follow without even being asked. We all headed to the lighthouse together.

***

When I arrived at the lighthouse, I told Delan what had happened. Delan, who learned the reason why the lighthouse was built, cried like a child.

While Illiad and Lotos comforted him and observed the lighthouse, I went outside. I unknowingly shrugged my shoulders at the chilling north wind.

,Ross, look at this.”

Navier pointed to the evening primrose carved on the door frame.

,This was carved one by one by one person. I guess that’s why they all look different. Could it be something Mitra left behind…?”

That must be it. She would have carved the evening primrose while waiting for them.

Suddenly, one thing came to my mind. Couldn’t Mitra have thought of crossing over to the temple?

Mitra, who no longer needed to maintain the path of light, would have headed to the temple.

But the temple would have been sealed and would not have opened.

I now realized who made the stone tower on the way to the temple.

My vision flickered, so I bit my lip hard.

Illiad and Lotos came out of the lighthouse. Delan followed behind them.

,I’m going to tear down the lighthouse. Then I’m going to tear down the cliff to erase the traces.”

He was a Sword Master and the head of the Illiad family. It was something he was capable of doing. At Illiad’s words, I nodded and asked Delan.

,Are you sure you don’t want to take anything with you?”

At my question, Delan gave a sad smile.

,It’s okay. I should send it off with the lighthouse as it is.”

There are people who are helped by throwing something away and forgetting it. Delan might be that kind of person. I just hope it helps.

,Okay, everyone step back. I’m not responsible if you get hurt!”

At Illiad’s warning, everyone moved away from the lighthouse. Illiad, who had drawn his sword, infused it with mana and slashed at the lighthouse.

Kuuuuuung――!

The lighthouse exploded with pure white mana as if an explosion had occurred. Delan’s cries could be heard amidst the roar of the lighthouse fragments falling to the ground.

Illiad floated into the air. Once again, pure white mana slashed at the cliff.

Kuuuuuuuung――!

The ground vibrated as the cliff where the lighthouse was located was cut off and fell into the Sea of Darkness. As a result, a huge stream of water rose.

I could feel the salty air. The earnestness and someone’s tragic story would now be remembered by no one except us.

While watching the remains of the lighthouse disappear into the sea, I suddenly remembered the last conversation I had with the Illiad family.

,Ah, there’s one more thing I want to ask. It must be an ancient language. It’s what they kept shouting until the very end.”

At my question, the people who were about to leave the room to go to the lighthouse turned their bodies.

I spoke slowly, clearly, and forcefully so that the words remaining in my memory would not be wrong.

As soon as I finished speaking, gazes gathered. I could sense that everyone here knew the meaning of the word from Navier’s pained eyes, Lotos lowering his head with shaking eyes, and Illiad letting out a groan.

Lotos, who raised his head, opened his mouth.

,It’s a saying that has been passed down in the North since a long time ago. If you’re from the North… everyone knows it.”

Lotos looked at Navier and Illiad. They nodded to each other and looked at me.

As if the three gazes had become one, their voices sounded like one echo.

―For humanity.