Ch.223223. Farewell

Dark dawn.

In Greyfond, where so many events had occurred today, many people were still awake holding lanterns.

The long line extending from the royal palace seemed endless, and everyone in it had their own story, their eyes red with tears.

“Here you go.”

“It’s chilly. I have a blanket too.”

Deia and Darius were distributing wet wipes, blankets, and warm tea along the line. No one had specifically asked them to do this, and while the royal servants were also busy moving about, this wasn’t about class distinctions between nobles and commoners. They were simply thinking about what they, who had lost nothing, could do for those who had lost so much.

Of course, it wasn’t just Deia and Darius.

“Um, can I really see them?”

“What? Why would all these people be standing in line if it wasn’t possible?”

Findenai handed a warm towel to the young man who had asked the somewhat rough question, telling him not to worry.

“Don’t worry too much. The master may not look it, but he’s quite compassionate.”

Findenai moved on with a proud shrug, as if subtly boasting about Deus, and handed supplies to the next people in line.

‘This is another first for me.’

Even during the Resistance days, they had provided relief supplies like this while living through difficult times. The feeling was similar yet different. Back then, they had eaten and endured by any means necessary just to survive together.

Now, it felt like cheering on the people standing in this line.

It wasn’t bad at all.

Just then, the sound of piano music drifted through the air.

“Ah, it’s started again.”

“The kid’s working hard.”

The performance had been ongoing since evening. Though it must be physically exhausting for the young boy, he continued playing after resting for only about 10 minutes.

Following the line toward the royal palace, one would encounter a woman at the entrance.

Among the bishops and elders of the religious order, Saintess Lucia was holding the hands of each person in line and praying for them.

“S-Saintess!”

From those who sobbed and pleaded to know why such tragedy had befallen them…

“Is this truly right?! I worshipped Goddess Demeter so devoutly! The gods are too cruel!”

To those who passionately resented today’s tragedy…

“…What difference will standing in this line make?”

To those who had resigned themselves to everything and just joined the line with the flow.

Lucia faced each one of them, shed tears with them, and prayed for them.

“How could I claim to understand your pain?”

She prayed to the gods despite the fact that a god named Romuleus had caused this devastation.

She didn’t really believe the gods would listen to her prayers.

But these people needed something to hold onto.

Religion has always been the greatest barrier protecting people’s hearts.

That’s why Lucia embraced them with tears and whispered:

“May you find the courage to move forward from today’s farewell.”

While Deus Verdi the Spiritmaster was there for the dead, Lucia the Saintess stood here for the living.

She stayed with them, hoping they would continue moving forward and not remain stuck in this moment.

After receiving comfort and encouragement from the Saintess and religious figures, people entered the inner chamber.

There stood a handsome man with black hair, who was the final destination of the long procession.

Amidst Owen’s passionate piano performance, Deus asked those who came to him:

“Would you tell me the name?”

Having already been briefed outside, they didn’t answer with their own names.

“Chaila Romenos, Chelli Romenos. My… daughter and son.”

The woman seemed pained even to speak their names, holding back tears. To spare her further suffering, Deus slowly looked up at the sky.

Others couldn’t see it, but the sky above the royal palace was now covered with countless souls.

“Chaila Romenos, Chelli Romenos. Are you here?”

Like a professor taking attendance with solemnity. When he spoke the two names, a boy and girl emerged from among the cloud-like souls and approached Deus.

He once again used the magic to give form to souls, something he had done many times today.

For the mother who had lost both her son and daughter on the same day, their images appeared before her eyes one last time.

“Ah…! Aaaah!”

She wept and wailed at the mere sight of her children. She reached out her hands, but they passed right through them.

[Mom.]

[Mom, don’t cry.]

“Ah, ah! Aaaagh! My, my children! My childreeeeen!”

The children who had departed before their mother felt guilty for their filial impiety yet still tried to comfort her.

The mother called out to her children through tears, but she could never meet or touch them again.

“I’m! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have left you at home! I’m sorryyyyy!”

She could only apologize, blaming herself for the past, lamenting and writhing in agony.

A situation he had witnessed many times today. Yet each time it brought the same resonance and pain to his heart.

“Time is short.”

Deus Verdi cut in coldly.

“This is not a time for reunion. It is merely a continuation of farewell.”

They cannot reunite. The dead must remain dead and enter their rest, while the living must continue living—that is the way of the world.

What Deus was doing now was giving them a single chance at farewell through his role as a Spiritmaster.

Today’s parting had been so sudden that no one could have anticipated it.

Everything had happened too quickly for either the dead or the living to accept the farewell.

He was giving them an opportunity.

“Ah…”

The mother listened to Deus’s words even as she shed tears.

Time is short.

She would soon part with these children.

So then.

“Do you intend to send these children off while blaming yourself?”

She held back her tears. She wiped them away, rubbing her eyes with both hands.

This woman had lost her husband years ago and had worked hard to raise her two children as a widow.

A bit early, but now relieved of her role as a mother, she summoned all the strength that the name “mother” carried and greeted her two children with a smile.

“I truly loved you. You were among the few blessings in my life.”

[I really, really love you too, Mom!]

[You have to live well without us! You must!]

The children left their mother with tears and blessings before entering their rest.

When they disappeared, the mother fell to her knees and sobbed against the floor.

“Th-thank! Thank youuuu!”

Gratitude for extending what would have been a brief farewell.

“The ground is rough here. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Erika Bright, who had been waiting nearby, approached the woman, embraced her tightly, and naturally guided her away.

And the next person entered.

“Tom Mentra. My father…”

A son who had lost his father.

Colleagues who had lost friends.

People who had lost lovers.

Many came and went, facing their farewells. They showed various reactions, but underneath them all was invariably sadness.

That’s what farewells were, after all.

[You should rest a little.]

[Yes, you’re pushing yourself too hard!]

While waiting for the next person, Stella and the Dark Spiritmaster expressed their concern from either side.

But Deus maintained his expressionless face and asked, looking at the long line:

“Did you truly believe this world existed solely for a girl named Aria Rius?”

[…]

[Pardon?]

The Dark Spiritmaster seemed not to understand, but Stella pressed her lips together and waited for his next words.

“Did you really think it wouldn’t matter if all these people were sacrificed for just one girl, that they were merely supporting characters?”

Aria Rius was currently asleep. She had consumed too much power and had also fallen after cutting down Romuleus, whose body had disappeared into particles.

Fortunately, Deus and Luanes had caught her well.

“Look at this scene.”

The gods might claim they were wronged. They bore the name of gods and could handle greater power than others, but they could also say they were simply following instincts programmed into the game.

“Look at those suffering in this widespread sorrow and separation.”

Deus remained expressionless. However, his voice concealed anger.

The two souls noticed this.

“I will not make this scene a foundation for some greater cause.”

After all, this was now reality, not a game.

“This separation and sorrow belong entirely to them.”

Deus spat out his determination as he prepared for the next farewell.

* * *

To the east of the Griffin Kingdom. Beyond the Marias Great Forest lay a land of heat.

The Sahar Desert.

A place called the cursed land for humans. It was known as a land of terror, said to suck away people’s sweat, blood, and ultimately their lives.

Of course, that was the story from decades ago. Now the Kingdom of Zerman, adjacent to the Sahar Desert, had developed technology to grow crops like potatoes.

That didn’t mean the fear of the Sahar Desert had completely disappeared. Every year, people still died or went missing after losing their way in the desert. The desert was gradually expanding its territory toward the Great Forest and the Kingdom of Zerman.

An unwinnable battle.

Eventually, with time, they would be consumed by the desert, but the Kingdom of Zerman was fighting on the frontline against nature’s invasion.

“Sigh.”

A blonde girl rested her chin on the circular window of the Kingdom of Zerman, gazing at the desert.

No, to be precise, Princess Elenoa Luden Griffin was looking beyond the desert and forest, longing for her homeland, the Griffin Kingdom.

There were many reasons why she was here. Being in the Kingdom of Zerman itself wasn’t particularly bad. She had adapted to the food, and she could use ice magic for the heat.

The Kingdom of Zerman knew exactly how to treat a guest of honor and was accommodating the princess perfectly, but there was just one problem.

“Princess Noona!”

Bang!

A boy with tanned skin burst through the door. He was about Owen’s age.

He entered with a bright smile, followed by five men who rushed in behind him.

“Elenoa!”

“Princess!”

“Looking out the window again today, I see.”

“If it’s too hard, should I speak to Father about it?”

“Poor thing. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“…”

Elenoa was already feeling queasy. These were the six brothers of Zerman—the princes of the Kingdom of Zerman.

“So, have you decided today?”

“It’s not me, is it?”

“Keep to your order, all of you!”

“You’re too blessed.”

“Elenoa, I hope you don’t feel too pressured.”

“Won’t you consider yielding to the eldest, boys?”

All of them…

“Haaaaah.”

Were men proposing marriage to Elenoa.