episode_0056

I looked at Mordor, dead with his head pierced.

I put the dagger that killed Mordor into subspace.

“………………”

*Clang.*

And I drew my sword.

*Swish.*

And I swung it at the already dead Mordor.

*Whish.*

I swung it.

*Whish.*

I swung it.

*Swish.*

I swung it.

I swung it.

I kept swinging it.

With each swing of the sword, more wounds appeared on Mordor’s already dead body.

The sound of me swinging my sword echoed through the quiet laboratory.

*Whish.*

Mordor was so butchered that his original form was unrecognizable.

“Haa…”

I was out of breath from how much I’d swung it.

I know.

That what I was doing now was meaningless.

Doing this wouldn’t bring the children back to life.

Doing this wouldn’t make Mordor suffer.

“……………………”

An unknown emotion dominated my mind.

It was an emotion I felt, but I didn’t know what kind of emotion it was.

My chest felt stifled. So stifled.

It wasn’t the emptiness felt after killing Mordor.

My revenge wasn’t over yet.

I hugged those dead children and said.

That I would kill all necromancers.

It wasn’t the joy felt after killing Mordor.

I had lost too much to feel joy.

At that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.

‘If I had been strong then, would the outcome have been different?’

Only then did I realize what emotion I was feeling.

Regret.

I was regretting.

I regretted all my past actions.

My actions towards the children.

My words to the children.

I should have spoken more kindly. I should have given them more delicious food.

“Haa…”

I took a deep breath to collect myself. Mordor was dead, but there was still more to do.

*Fwoosh.*

I set fire to Mordor’s already dead body.

This was because some necromancers could control other necromancers who were already dead.

I stood still and watched until Mordor’s body was completely burned away.

“Now, then, shall we take care of the little lady?”

I picked up the unconscious girl in the corner of the laboratory.

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to have been harmed by Mordor yet; no injuries were visible.

The child’s closed eyes twitched.

“Cl… Clown un… uncle?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit disappointing to be called ‘uncle’ even at a moment like this. You can sleep a little longer.”

Although I wasn’t wearing my mask, the child recognized me.

“Uncle, I had a bad dream. Mom… gave me to strange people…”

I covered the girl’s eyes with my hand and spoke.

“It was just a nightmare. Something that doesn’t exist.”

Although I said this, the child would realize it wasn’t a dream but reality once she woke up.

“Okay… Oppa, thank you for saving me.”

The child said that and fell back asleep.

“Haha, it’s me who’s grateful you weren’t hurt.”

After confirming the child was asleep, I spoke.

I carried the sleeping child on my back.

If I left the child alone, she’d either go to an orphanage or to that woman.

Neither felt like a good option to me.

For now, I plan to deal with this child’s biological mother.

Orphanages weren’t appealing, perhaps because of my bad memories associated with them.

“Well, I’ve already thought of a way, though.”

I plan to take this child to the academy.

Normally, it’s impossible to bring outsiders to the academy.

“But if she’s a servant, it’s a different story.”

Since the academy values equality, nobles are generally not allowed to bring servants.

However, more than equality, the academy represents meritocracy.

Those with talent or skill can get permission from the academy to bring one servant.

Academy servants are typically responsible for odd jobs assigned by their masters.

I plan to take her as a servant, but I don’t intend to make her work.

I just want to keep her by my side, feed her delicious food, and let her play.

Later, in the future, even if this child leaves my side, her experience working at the academy will be a great help.

Above all, no one can arbitrarily harass an academy servant.

Students couldn’t bother servants because those who could bring servants were strong individuals.

“But is it possible to bring a young child as a servant?”

There’s no specific rule limiting the age of servants.

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll ask Joden.”

As the student council president, he’d surely make it happen somehow.

If Joden fails, I plan to ask the Emperor.

“When she wakes up, I should ask her name first.”

. . . .

Johanna waited for Loki outside the door.

‘An hour has already passed.’

During that hour, she debated hundreds of times.

Whether to go inside. Or to wait.

From inside the door, the screams of unknown people continued to be heard.

If Loki’s scream had been heard, she would have gone in immediately.

*Creak.*

The door opened very slowly.

‘What if it’s not Loki?’

The very short time the door took to open felt long to Johanna.

“Huh?”

The mask she was holding in her hand was pulled towards the door.

*Grab.*

A hand appeared and grabbed the mask.

“Whew…”

Only after he appeared did Johanna let out a sigh of relief. Loki came out through the open door, carrying the child on his back and wearing his mask.

“Senior, you weren’t really waiting here the whole time, were you? To have stayed in such a dirty place. Let’s go back right now!”

His address, tone, and voice were all the same as Loki’s usual self.

“The child has been safely rescued! Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be hurt, but just in case, I’m planning to take her to the temple.”

However, perhaps because she had seen Loki’s other side, his current demeanor felt like a mask.

“Senior?”

So she hugged Loki.

“Senior, this is a bit embarrassing, isn’t it? Though it feels good.”

She stroked his head.

“Senior? My heart is beating so fast right now, I feel like it’s going to burst??”

“Are you okay?”

She even stood on her tiptoes to stroke his head.

“Huh? Oh! The child is fine. She’s just sleeping, probably from a bit of shock.”

Loki’s white hair moved back and forth with Johanna’s pale hand.

“Not the child. You, Loki.”

“I’m not particularly hurt. Since Senior is worried about me, even if I were hurting, I feel like I’d get better quickly.”

“Are you okay?”

Loki didn’t understand what was happening.

She suddenly hugged him, stroked his head, and asked if he was okay.

But he knew Johanna was worried about him.

He should say he was okay.

That way, she wouldn’t worry.

“………………”

The word “okay” wouldn’t come out.

“It’s okay.”

This time, the word “okay” wasn’t a question.

It was a word of comfort.

He thought he had already poured out all his emotions…

Loki leaned his head on Johanna’s shoulder.

“Senior, the aftermath is bothersome, so let’s think about it later. Could you come with me somewhere?”

“Yes.”

“Haha, what if you say yes so quickly? You don’t even know where I’m asking you to go.”

Loki’s voice was trembling as if he were about to cry.

“It’s okay. I’ll go anywhere with you.”

“It’s a bit farther than I thought, so we might have to skip all morning classes.”

“It’s okay.”

Johanna continued to stroke Loki’s head as it rested on her shoulder.

The more Johanna stroked, the deeper Loki buried his head.

“Senior, can we stay like this just a little longer?”

“Yes, you can stay as long as you want.”

“Haha, that’s really nice.”

“…………….”

Loki cried for the second time since coming to this world.

The first time was when he hugged the dead children and cried.

The second time was when he leaned on Johanna’s shoulder and cried.

Johanna continued to stroke Loki’s head.

. . .

Johanna followed Loki, traveling a long distance by carriage.

The child was left at the temple.

“This place is…?”

“It’s a grave.”

There were two graves at the place Loki brought her to.

The unusual thing was that there were no names written on the graves.

“May I ask whose graves these are?”

“They are the graves of my younger brother and younger sister.”

Loki said without hesitation.

Loki walked up to the graves.

He took off his mask while walking towards the graves.

“Is this the first time I’ve shown my face? It’s been a long time since I last came, hasn’t it? Quite a lot has happened.”

Loki said, touching the graves.

“It took a while, but I got my revenge.”

He placed the dagger and bracelet on top of the graves.

“I’m only giving you this gift now. It’s a little, no, very late, but I hope you’ll receive it happily.”

No one answered.

After that, Loki silently gazed at the graves for a long time.

Johanna watched him from a distance.

“Senior, thank you for coming all this way with me.”

Loki turned around and said.

Since he had taken off his mask, Johanna could clearly see Loki’s face.

“………………….”

Johanna didn’t say a single word on the way back to the academy, keeping her head bowed.

. . .

“Johanna!”

Johanna’s friend, Jena, ran when she saw Johanna.

“……………………”

Johanna must have heard, but she didn’t respond at all.

“Do you know how worried I was? It’s already lunchtime, why are you only just getting here?”

Jena, who had approached Johanna, put a hand on Johanna’s shoulder and spoke in a voice mixed with worry and reproach.

“……………”

But for some reason, Johanna didn’t say a word.

“Johanna!”

When Jena called out loudly, Johanna finally seemed to hear, flinching and lifting her head.

“Are you sick?”

Jena asked, looking at Johanna’s face.

Johanna’s face was extremely flushed, and her eyes were unfocused, as if she were drunk.

. . .

Meanwhile. Loki’s dormitory.

“Uwaaaaaaaagh!”

Loki kicked his blanket, recalling the words he had said to Johanna today.