episode_0075

I longed for a free world.

Trapped within walls in a limited world, I hated that place where everyone was desperate to kill each other.

But I was happy.

An old shack where I couldn’t eat properly, the bedding was worn, and the wind blew in day and night.

No matter where it came from, that shack where the wind incessantly blew in, even after Agape and Roland repaired it…

Many things were lacking, but only the essential things were there.

A friend named Roland.

A loving man named Agape.

Memories made in the city with the two of them.

Even when trapped in a birdcage, I was happy.

Because I had those two, no… Most of all, I had Agape.

Even in a city cloaked in the continent’s deepest darkness, there was a light that held me, keeping me from giving up.

In the darkness named Fallen, Agape alone was nothing short of my light.

That light was warm and comforting; when embraced, it eased tension and brought such a sense of languid relaxation.

It made my life more meaningful than the heat and light of the midday sun, and more than the comfortable languor of inner peace touched by the breeze.

Do you remember that, Agape?

You once said that without me, you couldn’t live.

Truthfully, it’s the same for me.

Back then, I pushed you away so heartlessly and said you were no longer important in my life, but.

In fact, it’s the same for me; without you, I can’t live for a single moment.

…Foolish, isn’t it?

…Why were we so desperate, unable to live without each other?

If we had loved each other just a little less, this wouldn’t have happened.

If a flower can’t bask in light, it’s bound to wither.

But I didn’t know that even the light would fade if there was no flower.

Agape.

…I’m sorry.

…I’m, sorry.

The rain poured down!

“I’m… sorry…”

My cheeks grew cold.

My ears ached as if being pricked by needles.

A heavy downpour had long turned the cemetery floor into soggy mud, but I could only remain slumped on it, hugging my sword.

My legs had no strength.

My arms and legs were stiff and unmoving in that spot.

No, to begin with, there was no will to move at all.

To even attempt to grasp my own will, my eyes had long been submerged in past memories.

“………”

A cold chill squeezed into the gaps of my armor.

Each time, I hugged Gladius even tighter.

Because it felt like Agape’s embrace, like Agape’s warmth.

Completely disregarding being cut by the cold blade, as if it were Agape’s embrace, as if it were Agape, reunited once more.

Tightly…

I hugged it tightly, savoring the warmth contained within the cold blade as if I would never let go.

In the middle of the cemetery, where Mullyphen’s bone-chilling cold lingered.

Even though everyone else had left long ago, only she remained, guarding the tombstone.

“I’m, sorry…”

I closed my eyes.

Tears and rainwater mingled, flowing down my cheeks, and I continuously mumbled in a small voice.

That I was sorry.

That I was sorry.

Hoping it was a dream, hoping it was a terrible nightmare.

With my eyes closed, I conjured up past memories once more and fell into a happy dream.

Forever, hoping I would never open my eyes to this terrible reality again.

Hoping for peace before the tomb, I quietly closed my eyes and awaited death.

Agape’s embrace, felt after a long time, was incredibly warm.

Warm enough to bring a bright smile to my face.

“I love you… Agape…”

***

[When we first set foot on the plains later to be called Creatore, only two moons, no more than empty stones, floated in the sky.]

[Taking our first steps into an empty, cold, and seemingly heartless world, our ark headed towards the center of the continent.]

[To the very center of the continent, to the place with a giant lake.]

[To the place with a giant lake, which would later be called Mount Minerva.]

『From Feanor’s Memoirs』

Mount Minerva is the highest mountain on the continent, a place where the continent’s highest peaks gather, hardened by the cold of the frigid moon.

This mountain range, with its relatively gentle lower slopes, is characterized by sharp peaks extending high as the altitude increases, and was infamous for the extremely severe cold that descended as the altitude climbed.

Furthermore, at the top of the mountain, countless waterfalls of stars flowed down, and it was also famous for the dwelling of the prophets being located just beyond them.

Due to these conditions, countless individuals throughout history have challenged themselves to climb this mountain.

Some wished to challenge their own strength.

Others wished to gain wisdom from the prophets.

They wished to directly witness the mysteries at the sacred place closest to the sun and moon.

They wished to experience firsthand the countless legends lurking there.

Or, they intensely desired the honor that could be gained by climbing the mountain.

While countless individuals have challenged this mountain, those who successfully climbed to the summit were extremely rare in history.

Without the prophets’ permission, one had to overcome the harsh power of great nature with the body of a mere mortal.

Therefore, unless one possessed both strength and tenacious perseverance, one should never challenge this mountain.

The wind howled!

Both the mountain and the prophets, its masters.

They had always been endlessly harsh to any guest not invited by fate.

Crunch- crunch-

Among the frozen corpses of those who failed the climb, a group slowly walked through the blizzard.

***

As it was a mountain akin to the main body of the snow mountain range where the capital was located, Mount Minerva’s altitude reached a staggering 30 kilometers.

The terrifying cold air descending from it influenced the capital located in the snow mountains, including Mount Minerva, and even the five cities around it, while the prophets’ dwelling located at its summit boasted an indescribably severe cold wave.

To the extent that even those capable of wielding the Three Great Powers would freeze solid if exposed to that cold even for a moment.

But the prophets’ dwelling, surrounded by such a cold wave, was, on the contrary, very still and peaceful.

In the prophets’ dwelling, surrounded by a translucent golden veil, far from feeling any cold, only the warm yet cool air peculiar to an autumn night was felt.

A small-city-sized meadow showing signs of maintenance.

A mysterious stream reminiscent of the Milky Way, crossing the meadow.

And even the waterfall of starlight pouring down from a small hill rising in the middle of the meadow, the source of that stream.

Truly befitting the descendants of the navigator who created the power of the stars, an understated beauty could be felt everywhere in the prophets’ dwelling, established closest to the stars.

And on the city wall surrounding such a dwelling, which was like a small city itself.

“Yawn…”

Looking down at the scenery beyond the translucent veil, a knight yawned languidly.

The nacreous clouds seen occasionally and the scenery of thick clouds spread thickly below the mountain were always a magnificent sight.

“Can you yawn even in this situation?”

The knight next to him said reprovingly at the sight of his colleague yawning languidly.

“Then how could I not yawn in this situation? As it is, with the number of defense forces here depleted due to war, and orders from above to thoroughly monitor the surroundings… Honestly, if I only sleep around six hours a day and stand like this all day, it’s bound to be tiring, isn’t it?”

And what’s more, we’ve been doing this continuously for over half a month.

“………”

At those words, the reproving knight also quietly nodded, as if understanding in his heart.

“…I understand, but still, please try not to show such languidness. No matter how difficult, aren’t we knights who protect the prophets?”

“…Honestly.”

Now I’m having doubts about this job too.

“…Doubts, you say?”

“As you know, I too went down the mountain and participated in the war, didn’t I? Under the pretext of escorting the prophets.”

“You did indeed.”

“I can’t tell you in detail what happened, but while escorting the prophets, I truly witnessed countless things. All sorts of undead and monsters, and indeed various things, including the massacre sites of people who had been condemned. But…”

“…But?”

“After seeing such sights for several years and returning to the mountain, I began to doubt if we were truly symbols of justice.”

“What did you say?”

I unconsciously raised my voice and asked again, but his colleague, who usually acted lightheartedly, was unusually silent and showed a serious expression.

Perhaps because he suddenly showed uncharacteristic behavior. In a situation where he normally would have reprimanded him for such impious talk, he too could only look at him without saying a word.

“…Anyway, once this commotion ends, I intend to retire from this work.”

“You’re thinking of retiring completely? No matter what, that seems like too hasty a decision…”

“Well, the pay is good and the post-retirement benefits are good, so it’s not a regrettable job. Isn’t it an honorable position, virtually every knight’s dream? But now I just… want to rest. I want to take my family and go somewhere secluded, and simply live, forgetting what I’ve seen while following the prophets.”

It was a carefree thought that could only be held by someone cut off from the outside and unable to access any information.

“………”

“That’s my true feeling.”

“Oh, dear…”

While showing a perplexed expression, not knowing what to say, his colleague’s expression, who had been speaking with a serious face, suddenly changed to a playful expression.

“But in novels, if you say something like this, it always becomes a death flag and you die, you know.”

“A death flag, you say?”

“Never mind. Anyway- …Hmm?”

“What is it?”

“Look… look over there.”

He pointed his finger at the base of the mountain.

Among the scenery of the snowfield viewed from a mountain so high it pierced through the clouds, the figures of people, appearing as small dots, having just broken through the clouds and ascended, came into view.

“That… surely they didn’t climb this mountain bare-bodied?”

“Impossible…”

In a situation that was utterly unbelievable, the two knights spoke with trembling voices.

“Unless they found a hidden teleportation device somewhere on the mountain, it would be impossible to get here…”

It was 30 kilometers.

An altitude that pierced even the clouds, where oxygen was thin, and proper breathing itself was impossible.

Yet in such an altitude, while others were climbing with cold-weather gear and respirators,

“My god…”

At least one man at the very front was climbing the mountain bare-bodied, with his upper body bare.

At the peak of Mount Minerva, where a cold wave so severe that even Expert-class strongmen would freeze solid descended if one ascended without preparation.

The man had his upper body bare, carrying a large greatsword on his back, and was walking up without an oxygen mask.

“Hahahahahahahaha────────!!!!”

A resounding laughter echoed all the way up here.

“Ugh… how can a person’s voice be so… huh?”

For a moment, the knights’ brows furrowed at the enormous laughter that defied common sense.

“Huh… huh?”

Whoosh────!!

The man, who leaped as if flying with tremendous leg strength, plunged down onto the prophets’ dwelling like a meteor shower, using the aura emitted from his sword as propulsion.

And-

Crack- crackle-

The translucent golden veil, possessing defensive power capable of blocking even archmages’ magic, serving a role similar to Feanor’s Lighthouse.

Crash─ shatter─

At the same time it was ruthlessly shattered, he landed on the city wall with a powerful tremor, as if a meteorite had fallen.

Thud───!!

Crumble…

On the half-collapsed city wall, the two knights, barely supporting themselves, looked up at the hulking man who had dropped like a meteor shower.

Suppressed by his overwhelming presence, unable to even breathe properly.

“Ah… ahh…”

At the massive physique and overwhelming presence, enough to make them doubt if he was truly human, their minds turned blank, and they couldn’t even think of escaping, freezing on the spot.

Thump─

Boom─

He drew the greatsword from his back and lightly struck it on the ground, causing a faint tremor.

With that, moving muscles harder than steel, the man smiled so wide his mouth corners seemed to tear.

Oh Shin.

The third Executor of Gram.

He was the first to set foot into the prophets’ dwelling, which had never once allowed the invasion of evil since the beginning of the Shahlnu Era, and slaughtered the two knights before him.