Ch.149Chapter 149

The view of Linthpia from atop the statue was truly beautiful.

Today I was a bit tired from experiencing more difficulties than usual, but I felt all my accumulated fatigue melting away at once.

This feeling of addiction, no matter how many times I saw this view, remained unchanged.

Though it had lost some of its vitality and color compared to before, its unique charm still persisted.

So this is what they mean when they say form is temporary, but class is eternal.

I took a deep breath, trying to relieve my troubled mind.

Once everything was over, it might not be so bad to spend about a week camping out here.

“Raedan Tanthyn!”

Hmm, is it because it’s been a while since I’ve heard this voice psychologically?

It feels like I’m inhaling the nostalgia of reminiscing about old memories.

In this situation, there’s really only one person who would be looking for me.

“You’re here.”

I quickly turned around with a casual smile.

Yet the sadness that naturally seeped through was something even I couldn’t control.

What can I do when my facial muscles won’t move as I want them to?

“…What are you doing here?”

“Good question. What have I been doing all this time?”

I looked into the distance with self-deprecation.

“While forgetting such important facts.”

“…You’ve regained it?”

I quietly nodded at The Huntsman’s words.

There were still too many things to think about, but I recalled a fact that I couldn’t help but confirm right now.

As I quietly tried to pass by The Huntsman to descend from the statue, she grabbed my arm.

“Where are you going now?”

“I have something to check.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“Are you sure? We’re going to meet an Outer God of the same level as The Chronicler.”

Perhaps it was the mention of being equivalent to The Chronicler.

The Huntsman’s eyes, which had shown strong determination until just now, wavered for a moment.

But she quickly regained her composure and even furrowed her brow with renewed resolve.

“I’ll endure it.”

“…Alright.”

Strange.

I thought she would say that Outer Gods should be torn apart and killed on sight.

Though puzzled by her unexpected choice of words, I agreed to go together.

Because in her eyes, I could no longer sense The Huntsman’s characteristic murderous intent.

#

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

I didn’t bother answering The Huntsman’s question.

I know it’s nothing special, but maybe it’s because my mood is gloomy right now.

I didn’t want to answer because I felt like I’d have to explain everything in detail.

After walking for quite some time, we arrived in front of a building.

“…Is this the palace?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Fortunately, The Huntsman didn’t ask for further explanation after saying that.

She didn’t even mention the impropriety of knocking on the palace door.

She just quietly watched what I was doing.

A maid opened the door from inside.

Even though I hadn’t introduced myself, the maid stepped back with surprised eyes as soon as she saw my face.

“You are…”

“Take me to the territory leader.”

At my words, the maid said nothing and simply turned around to walk somewhere.

As I followed her, The Huntsman quietly nodded and began to follow behind me.

The maid arrived at a door, knocked on it, and someone walked out from inside.

And the moment our eyes met.

That person immediately knelt down.

“Have you finally arrived, Muji Absoluta?”

“…Commander.”

As expected.

The current leader of Linthpia was the knight commander who had possessed tremendous power at that time.

But his usual attitude toward me had disappeared, and now he was maintaining silence before me like a devotee.

“Please stand up, I don’t deserve such treatment.”

“…”

Only then did the knight commander rise.

Things I wanted to say, stories left untold.

There was much to discuss, but now was not the time.

“Take me there, to that room.”

“Yes.”

The place the knight commander guided me to was in front of a certain door.

A door so old it had deteriorated, perhaps because no one had used it.

Nevertheless, its lingering wistfulness remained poignantly, making viewers feel a certain loneliness.

And now, a space where even ordinary humans were not permitted to enter.

When I opened that door and went in, a woman was sitting inside.

A golden tiara, now decayed and lusterless.

A dress faded with age.

Yet, the fact that her body remained clean and noble was proof enough that she was indeed the being I knew.

“…Damn it.”

Perhaps it looked different to The Huntsman, as she was struggling to maintain her composure while letting out a groan.

She had originally been able to withstand Bell’s mental interference, so it seemed she had grown strong enough to endure this level of mental pressure now.

In truth, it was a meaningless concern now.

Leaving The Huntsman behind, I carefully approached the woman.

The woman weakly raised her head toward me.

Did she recognize me?

Her deeply sunken eyes, as if she had lost everything, suddenly lit up and her eyelids opened wide.

I immediately knelt before her.

“…Have you been well, Your Majesty the Empress?”

Currently known as The Curator of Life.

Once, a being who stood by the Emperor’s side.

Demeter was beside the Emperor, who had now become a skeleton.

“I’m late, but I’ve returned.”

Tears began to flow from the Empress’s eyes.

Whether they were tears of regret, or if her dead emotions had returned upon finally finding hope.

Only she could know.

#

“…I thought it wouldn’t be possible. After all, bringing back a being who lost their life according to the natural order was impossible even for us.”

“I’m still dazed, but that’s how it turned out. Now I need to figure out how to extract her from my body.”

The Empress caressed the cheek of the skeleton.

Even that gesture was done with eyes that seemed to find it still lovely, making it impossible to tell whether it was a feeling of tender love or madness.

But considering how strong the divine race’s obsessions are, it’s probably better to see it as part of pure love.

“So, as Oko said, did you experience another world?”

Looking at The Curator of Life who asked with genuine curiosity, I gave a bitter smile.

“Yes, well. But it wasn’t such a happy world. Everything seemed to go wrong. Like I was carrying the karma of a past life.”

“Hehe, who knows. Maybe Oko deliberately made it a bit difficult for you to return to your original world.”

Hmm.

Is that so?

Of course, that possibility existed.

First, this crime of attempted rape by an Outer God that was imposed on me.

Considering Oko’s personality, it might have been a device set up from the beginning to eliminate any possibility of me connecting with another being.

Remembering how she always said she wanted to kidnap me, I felt a chill run down my spine.

The Empress laughed lightly as she looked at me.

“Poor Oko. Despite planning so carefully… it seems things didn’t go well.”

“What do you mean?”

“…When Oko returns, she might be very upset. Think of some way to handle it.”

I pretended not to understand the Empress’s words, but in truth, I couldn’t help but understand.

First, the divine beings attached to me right now.

Apta might be fine, but the other divine beings were probably unexpected.

Then there’s The Huntsman who tries to pounce on me at every opportunity.

And The Princess too.

…So The Princess had her own rationale.

I wondered why she suddenly acted that way, but if it was out of gratitude for me saving her, that was perfectly understandable.

If she recognized me, why did she pretend not to know?

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“We have sufficient forces to stop The Princess 2. If Your Majesty would join us, it would be very reassuring.”

The Empress looked at the Emperor with a sad smile.

Perhaps seeing me alive gave her a definite possibility.

Finally, she answered with a bright smile.

“Alright. But in return, I’d like you to help bring him back to life when this battle is over.”

“…Of course.”

I knelt before the Empress.

Now all preparations were complete.

#

“…So The Huntsman had such a history.”

“Mm.”

While I was wandering through my memories, The Huntsman had also been diligently researching the true nature of the “Huntsman” profession.

As a result, she discovered that the Huntsman was an artificially created profession by humans who had been harmed by the divine race, designed to perpetuate hatred toward them.

The Huntsman’s father was one of them.

But The Huntsman’s father was reluctant to kill divine beings, so he only hunted dangerous ones, and as a result, he was disliked by those in high positions and eventually suffered for it.

…How could there be such a futile story?

Then what has The Huntsman been moving for all this time?

Where should her hatred be directed?

But for some reason, The Huntsman’s expression as she told this story looked very relieved.

“Are you… okay?”

“I only hunted those who were trying to invade Rondan, so I don’t have any particular burden on my mind.”

“That’s not what I meant… about your father.”

At my question, The Huntsman twisted her lips and then chuckled.

I was genuinely concerned, but it seemed she wasn’t bothered at all.

“It’s frustrating.”

As expected.

“But a train that has lost its destination can only remain isolated and unable to do anything. Then the only option is to find a new destination. That way, the train can move again.”

Oh.

The Huntsman suddenly said something very cool.

Only then could I smile.

“Have you decided on that destination?”

At my question, The Huntsman stared at me intently.

Her gaze was so intense that I felt uncomfortable and looked away, which made her chuckle again.

“Yes. I’ve already decided.”

I tilted my head at The Huntsman’s difficult-to-understand words, but I figured whatever works is good.

Thinking that, I was about to return to Rondan.

“Sorry to interrupt your pleasant time.”

Huh?

Why am I hearing this voice here?

The Huntsman also turned around almost simultaneously with me, with a surprised expression.

There stood Aghartha.

Yes, definitely Aghartha.

“Aghartha…?”

“Yes, it’s Aghartha.”

“Your prosthetic arm…”

For some reason, where the prosthetic arm should have been, there was now a perfectly normal arm holding a book and a pen, standing in a modest posture.

The moment I confirmed this fact.

Suddenly, black tentacle-like things grew from Aghartha’s abdomen, and as her sharp impression softened slightly, she began to transform into something I knew very well.

“Well, well.”

I see.

So this is how she was fulfilling Oko’s request.

While The Huntsman watched with wavering eyes, I smiled—sad yet happy.

“…You were by my side all along?”

“Yes.”

There stood what had been Aghartha, now transformed into The Chronicler, Apta, smiling gently.

“Raedan, because I adore you.”