Ch.2525. Until Dawn Breaks

Creeeeak.

In the underground, only the crackling sound of sparks flying remained.

The firmly closed door opened, and a small light stretched out, illuminating the interior.

When it reached the girl made of blue flames at the end, the girl who had been looking down at the ground slowly raised her head.

Meeting Emily’s eyes, Findenai smiled and asked.

“Has your anger subsided a bit?”

[…..]

At Findenai’s question, the girl slightly looked down at her own hands. She had thought that a spiritmaster’s flame could inflict pain close to eternity.

Perhaps it was the result of merging with the girl’s grudge, but unexpectedly, Maalks’s soul had completely disappeared in just a few days.

[I thought I would feel a little better after getting revenge.]

“And?”

As Findenai gently asked, indicating she would listen patiently, Emily steadied her breath as if unsure what to do.

The blue flames flickered, revealing Emily’s unstable emotions.

[It was certainly satisfying to see the lab director writhing in pain in my grasp, begging for forgiveness and apologizing.]

“……”

[But even after he completely disappeared, the knot inside me still remains.]

Findenai nodded, indicating she understood, and casually pointed outside.

“That’s why our master has prepared a stage for you. Would you like to go see it?”

[…Is that really the right thing to do?]

At Emily’s question, Findenai smiled as if enjoying their conversation. It was the best consideration she could offer.

[If I go now, I could inflict the same pain on Ditros Verdi, right?]

“That’s right. He’ll scream in front of you, kneel down, and apologize just like Maalks did.”

[And what if he completely disappears like Maalks afterward?]

The girl wasn’t simply worried about wanting revenge.

Having already annihilated Maalks, she found it more empty than expected.

And she realized that even after doing so, the knot inside her still remained.

[What if Ditros Verdi disappears too, but I still remain with my grudge? Then who should I direct this anger toward next?]

“……”

The girl’s anger was justified.

However, if that anger would never end no matter how much she poured it out.

[Then wouldn’t I just become another monster?]

Emily looked down at the remains of the shattered bone insect. Fear could be felt in her voice, tone, and trembling.

Perhaps she too would become a monster consumed by emotion and revenge.

Could she pour out these emotions as she wished?

“Don’t worry.”

But to the girl’s concerns, Findenai grinned as if answering an obvious question.

“Our master, as annoyingly lucky as he is.”

[…..]

“Is a very special spiritmaster.”

Findenai slightly turned her body and stepped aside next to the door. Now a straight path leading outside stretched before Emily.

“He will absolutely prevent you from becoming a monster, from becoming an evil spirit. That person will stop it.”

[Ah.]

Emily let out a sigh and unconsciously took a step forward. From outside came the screams of evil spirits.

She was swept by the desire to go there, like an instinct.

“So let’s go. I, Findenai, maid of the Verdi family, will escort you.”

Seeing Findenai bow politely with her hands together, Emily nodded.

[I’ll be in your care.]

Smiling slightly, Findenai walked ahead. They climbed the stairs, left the basement, reached the first floor, and stood at the entrance of the mansion.

The head butler and head maid were standing at the main entrance, and both bowed simultaneously in greeting.

“We welcome the honored guest.”

“We welcome the honored guest.”

The main door opened.

Numerous souls roamed through the dark dawn sky.

Deus Verdi’s ritual had not only summoned the souls from the mansion and cemetery but was also drawing in many wandering souls from the surroundings.

As many souls began to gather, even ordinary people became able to see them.

This was a phenomenon called the “spirit realm,” a temporary occurrence in places where many souls gathered, like Robern Academy.

[Ah.]

And the many servants lined up in front of the door. Standing at regular intervals, they formed a path.

Though the end was not yet visible, Emily knew well who would be waiting there.

She easily took steps forward, guided by them.

“We welcome the honored guest.”

Each time she passed the servants, they bowed deeply and greeted Emily respectfully.

The Verdi family was showing her the highest courtesy they could offer.

At that moment, a soul wandering nearby tried to descend onto the path Emily was walking.

Whoosh!

A sword swept through, creating a gust of wind. It couldn’t directly strike the soul but could distort its form.

The man who cleared the path was none other than the current head of the Verdi family, Darius Verdi.

He stood silently on the path, looked at Emily once, and slowly turned his body to make way for her.

“I’m sorry.”

A brief moment of silence.

Emily accepted it and continued walking forward.

“Clear the path! Don’t let them crowd in!”

“Guard the cemetery area! Don’t let the candles go out!”

As she approached the end of the path, fierce voices echoed.

The members of the junkyard were preventing unrelated souls from interfering with the cemetery.

Findenai frowned, concerned that the commotion might upset Emily, but Emily said nothing, knowing it was all effort made for her sake.

Boom!

The sound of drums echoed.

Strangely, it seemed to resonate with Emily’s heart.

And at the end of the path.

The black-haired woman, Deia, bowed politely and extended her hand toward the cemetery.

“We’ve been waiting.”

Taking over from Findenai’s guidance, Deia carefully turned her body.

Then Findenai and the other servants turned their bodies to bid farewell to Emily on her final journey.

“May you go in peace.”

[…..]

Boom!

Passing by the old man who was beating the drum with Deia, Emily entered the cemetery.

There, countless evil spirits were tearing at each other.

[Die!]

[I’ll gouge out your eyes! Just like you did to me! I’ll eat your eyeballs!]

[Aaaaargh!]

[Peace? Peace? While I was burning with hatred and wandering around Verdi, you closed your eyes in peace?!]

Not caring for their own bodies at all, solely focused on hurting, resenting, and screaming at others.

In a way, a kind of hell.

And in the center stood Deus Verdi, looking up at them.

Deia, who had guided Emily to him, bowed deeply and retreated, walking backward.

Now it was time for just the two of them.

“How was it?”

Deus asked, looking at the evil spirits swirling and tearing at each other in the sky.

“Has your grudge been eased a bit?”

After hesitating briefly at his pointed question, Emily answered honestly.

[…No.]

“I see.”

As if he had expected this, Deus calmly continued his questions.

“Can you see that man at the far end?”

A man whose entire body was being torn by the teeth of numerous evil spirits, yet still struggling desperately, moving his hands and feet.

[Yes.]

“That man is Ditros Verdi. The man who massacred you, your family, and your people.”

Emily silently followed the man with her eyes. He didn’t seem to know yet that Emily had arrived.

“If you inflict the same pain on Ditros Verdi, will you be able to release your grudge and rest in peace?”

[…I don’t know.]

Emily’s voice was filled with numbness. She exhaled a troubled breath, not knowing what to do.

[I want revenge, but will the grudge inside me really disappear? I inflicted constant pain on the lab director, but.]

“……”

[It felt good only at first. After that, only emptiness took its place, and the grudge inside me didn’t disappear.]

Now Deus’s gaze turned to Emily. Emily carefully met his eyes.

[What should I do?]

At those words, Deus looked at Emily for a moment and then spoke in his usual voice.

“Many people say they seek revenge to release their grudges.”

[…..]

“Indeed, many people wander without finding peace even after death, unable to release their grudges.”

Having heard countless deaths and their resentments, Deus could state with certainty.

“Most of them wander without achieving anything, eventually closing their eyes in peace out of exhaustion. The grudge remains in a deep corner of their heart, dreaming of the miraculous moment of revenge that might come someday.”

And what was happening now was the fulfillment of that dream.

“The time for revenge has come. Emily, what must you do to release your grudge?”

[…I.]

The tip of Deus’s staff pointed at Ditros Verdi. He was now being crushed under numerous souls.

“To inflict endless pain on Ditros Verdi until he completely disappears? Or somehow revive Maalks and make him beg on his knees once more?”

Emily remained silent, looking at Deus as if demanding an answer. She too knew that nothing could release her grudge.

And Deus as well.

“Emily, sadly, grudges are not emotions that can be depleted.”

Lowering his staff, Deus looked at Emily again.

Slowly kneeling on one knee and gazing into her eyes.

“The phrase ‘releasing a grudge’ is wrong. Emily, it’s a wound. A deep scar that can never be erased, that will continue to cause pain whenever you recall it.”

[Ah…..]

If not for the flames, tears would now be flowing from both of Emily’s eyes.

What Deus had just said was…

That there was no salvation left for her.

“By merely causing pain to the culprit, making them scream, hearing their pleas for mercy… you cannot forgive someone who ruined your life and the lives of those you loved.”

[That’s… right.]

Having already annihilated Maalks, Emily could deeply empathize and understand.

Such acts alone could not erase the grudge within her.

Tap.

Deus’s hand touched Emily’s head. The flames were burning fiercely, but recognizing their master, they merely wrapped around him warmly.

“Most of the living can give nothing to the dead. Saying they do things for the dead is ultimately just self-consolation and self-satisfaction.”

But, he added.

“I am a spiritmaster. Coincidentally, I don’t fall into the category of ‘most.'”

Swish.

He stroked her head.

Through Deus’s palm, she felt emotions and warmth she thought she would never feel again.

“This is the only farewell gift I can give you.”

[…..]

Emily’s entire body began to burn. The blue flames were more intense and massive than anyone else’s in the cemetery.

“Regrets will remain, but struggle with all your might until dawn breaks, doing the best you can.”

Gut rituals are also called festivals.

He vaguely remembered hearing that in the old days, when a shaman performed a gut ritual, people from neighboring villages would all gather to enjoy it together.

Here, instead of songs, there were only resentments and screams directed at each other.

Instead of dance, there was only the eerie sight of spirits tearing at each other.

The ritual music was modest, simply beating drums to a rhythm.

But still.

“Dance and sing to your heart’s content. Until you collapse from exhaustion and naturally close your eyes.”