Ch.324107. Hoping You Won’t Come (2)

To fall into hell after death.

…At that time, he did not know what that meant.

Heaven and hell.

Who truly knows their reality?

I declare they do not exist.

If someone claims to have seen and experienced it all, they are one of two things.

First, they are spreading lies.

And whether they genuinely believe those lies,

Or knowingly spout falsehoods, both are irrelevant to the truth.

Whatever it is, it will lead directly to falsehood. It will degrade into a false account.

But I said one of two things.

So if the first is a liar, what about the second?

They are those who know the truth.

And most of those who know the truth were also beings who could deliberately spread lies.

In the end, one should not associate with those who discuss such matters.

Whatever happens, no outcome remains except being deceived.

====

“Yes. Hero. Oh, dear hero. At last, you have arrived here.”

“……”

The entire world stretches out as if soaked in water.

A bleak, undulating space, blurry and without proper form.

Against a pitch-black darkness, white and black lights shimmer.

Like looking up from dim underwater with no exit.

Everything in the world was opaque and faint.

“I’ve come here as promised. Now… lead me to where Ermina is.”

“Oh my. Oh my, oh my. Quite right. Of course I shall. Certainly.”

The hooded man spoke with exaggerated formality, as if a dignified person observing old-fashioned etiquette.

From beneath the hood, a pale face and dark eyes were visible, filled with such obvious delight and enthusiasm that they nearly consumed his entire expression.

“Before that, might I tell you just one thing?”

“…What is it?”

“There’s something I need to correct first. Ah, don’t worry. I’ll certainly guide you to your wife. That was our contract, wasn’t it? We’re the type who thoroughly fulfill contracts. It’s our principle, the rule we’re bound by. We need at least that much to establish some minimum level of trust, don’t we?”

“You talk too much.”

“Oh my, I offer my humble apologies. It’s just that, well, this information might trouble you greatly, so I wanted to give you time to prepare yourself.”

“……”

“Alright, alright. I, with my soft heart, shall restrain myself.”

Then, with an overtly snickering laugh,

The hooded man suddenly dropped a shocking truth.

“First of all, your wife Ermina has never spent a single moment in this hell.”

“……”

…What?

Rueld couldn’t respond for a long while.

Perhaps because the information that penetrated his ears was too shocking.

His eyes and lips were trembling.

“What… did you just say?”

“I said Ermina is not in hell.”

Rueld’s questioning continued in disbelief.

And the hooded man’s expression, as he cut off Rueld’s words and poured out his own, was utterly cold.

As if emotions didn’t exist at all.

“Then… where is she?”

“Both you and she have accumulated such vast merits. Karma involves meticulous calculations. Therefore, although you committed sins… it would be appropriate to say they were mitigated.”

Even so, taking one’s own life, which was given by God… is an unforgivable grave sin.

“Nevertheless, the Lord loved you and your wife. Thus, He provided one more opportunity.”

“In what… way?”

“You will be reborn as a human.”

In other words, reincarnation.

“Naturally, you’ll be quite different from who you are now. The reincarnated you will be utterly powerless. But what can you do? You must accept that much—it’s still better than rolling in hellfire, ice, or fields of blades, isn’t it?”

“…So in the end, you deceived me.”

“Being deceived is your own fault. Why blame me? Foolish one. Weakness and ignorance are concepts on the same level. Because you’re weak, you’re oppressed by the strong; because you’re ignorant, you’re exploited and deceived by the knowledgeable.”

“……”

“Still, I’m keeping my promise. Ah, but there is one crime for which even the Lord cannot show consideration, and I wish to convey it through my lips.”

“What crime?”

“Ahem. Listen well. You, throughout your rebirth as a human… will never again have parents. Ah, this same punishment applies to Ermina as well, so don’t be too sorrowful.”

“……”

“No need to go into details. This punishment was already applied during your previous life, wasn’t it?”

“What…?”

“Ah, but you were somewhat better off. You lost your parents before your eyes, but unlike Ermina, you didn’t grow up without knowing their existence. But now you’ll have to get used to it, so keep that in mind.”

The hooded man calmly, with a suddenly beaming face, said such things.

“You, what on earth have you been saying…?”

“Rueld. You will be reborn. You’ll become a child of new humans. And somehow, you’ll always be entangled with Ermina.”

And both of you.

“Though you’ll be born through a parent’s womb, you won’t be cared for in any way. There’s nothing that can be done about this. You haven’t separately atoned for this sin.”

“…What’s the reason?”

It wasn’t that he couldn’t guess at all.

Still, he had to ask.

“You must have some inkling by now.”

“……”

“Being stabbed by a knife hurts. But is it a sin to merely feel pain when stabbed? If you don’t take action after being stabbed, you’ll die. Pain is just an additional element that reminds you of this.”

“……”

“Your guilt and sense of sin regarding Kariel. You’ve felt and suffered from it all along, but that was just the process. Since you’ve shown an attitude of repentance, now you just need to pay the price. To become pure, we cannot allow even a single hasty flaw.”

That is.

“The true nature of the pure ones desired by heaven. You were born with the qualities of pure, good people… but yes, you ultimately collapsed. You fell.”

So, Rueld.

“I’m somewhat looking forward to seeing how long it will take for you to reach a position like your current one.”

Perhaps it would be impossible even after several lifetimes, even after tens of reincarnations.

“But if you want to save yourself and Ermina, you cannot give up this path.”

Or well…

“Just live accepting pain as if it’s natural. Like me. When pain becomes natural and even hell feels familiar? Yes, this place becomes somewhat livable. I’ve endured it, haven’t I? There’s no reason you can’t do the same.”

“You… until the end, us…”

“I will watch you all along. And if you try to escape that pit, I will gladly kick you back into it.”

So don’t worry about anything.

“Enjoy your repetitive, arduous life beautifully.”

“Sataaaaan—!”

That blurry figure disappeared.

The vague world once again sank into gloomy silence.

“Whew!”

The pale man removed his hood, his face looking refreshed.

“One job done!”

I hope this makes Kariel waver a bit.

“I should let this simmer a while longer before making a fuss!”

As if he had secured an amusing topic of conversation, he smiled faintly and lightly blew air through his nose.

“Now all that’s left is… Seras. If only I could soothe her well. That child is too devout in her faith. Heh heh.”

The gloomy, dark, and opaque world shattered, scattered, and collapsed with his steps.

Everything disappeared like an illusion or a lie, and finally sank into empty silence.

Thus, the world he stepped into once again…

…returned to the abyss.

====

“Ugh!”

It’s vague, but something feels like it’s about to surface, yet remains elusive.

But once awake, it never emerges, leaving only bitter resentment.

“Rio? What’s wrong again? Did you have a scary dream?”

The boy who had been hunching his shoulders managed a strained smile at the girl calling him loudly.

“U-um, no. I just, had a dream.”

“What kind of dream?”

“I, I don’t know. It seemed important somehow, but I can’t quite remember.”

“How boring.”

The girl snorted and smacked the back of Rio’s head.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t just sit there moping like that! Let’s go! We need to clean the yard!”

“Is it our turn today?”

“I told you yesterday! Did you already forget?”

“N-no… I’m just not fully awake yet.”

“Want me to hit you again?”

“N-no.”

Rio rubbed his eyes to remove the sleep crust and clumsily followed behind the girl.

‘I’ll remember it someday.’

The similar dreams he had repeatedly were strangely vivid, but once awake, he would forget everything.

“Hey! Aren’t you sweeping properly?!”

“D-don’t worry about me, focus on your side—”

“I’m already done!”

“……”

“You’re so slow!”

Rio got hit on the back of his head again.

“What would you do without this big sister!”

“Nnngh!”

Rio rubbed the back of his head vigorously.

And so today too, at the small orphanage newly established in an abandoned church building, the busy everyday life would unfold as always, bustling and lively.