Ch.337Vow of Purity. Bloody Mary (2)

Year 1203, Month 15, Day 33.

Victor’s Solar Army arrived at the river valley of Bloody Mary.

As if celebrating the sun’s arrival, the Bloody Mary trees swayed in the wind, blooming with red cherry blossoms that possessed a beauty akin to roses. The scenery had such a captivating, distant quality that it created cracks even in the hearts of soldiers filled with fanatical loyalty to the sun.

“Truly a beautiful place. Who would have thought something described as ‘bloody red’ could appear so beautiful?”

The tree’s name was Bloody Mary. The landmark’s name was Bloody Mary. Even the city’s name was Bloody Mary—what an easy name to remember.

Whether for commemoration or simply out of laziness, names carried powerful significance.

“Good. Now let’s descend.”

With that thought, Victor decided he wanted to see it up close, and the floating Sky Warden began its “landing” on the empty plain.

“Understood, my lord! Sky Warden, commencing descent!”

Bloody Mary had no place to dock a massive flying battleship weighing 130,000 tons.

In truth, even most decent-sized cities couldn’t accommodate something as large and magnificent as the Sky Warden. This meant that to the citizens of Bloody Mary, which didn’t even qualify as a “decent-sized city,” the Sky Warden must have appeared like an executioner capable of erasing their hometown in an instant.

Honestly, that wasn’t far from the truth.

Clank! Thud!

“Anchor lines have reached the ground!”

“Lower the hull!”

As orders came from the bridge, the fully inflated gas cells began to deflate like the cheeks of children disappointed by parents refusing to buy them toys.

Simultaneously, sirens began to sound majestically, and soldiers in full gear stood with solemn expressions as they underwent inspections by their squad and platoon leaders in each barracks.

Gradually, the massive vessel descended using the anchor lines connected to the ground as mooring towers. Once it was close enough to the ground, the gangway opened and enormous stairs extended outward, installing at a 45-degree angle.

For safety, non-commissioned officers wearing safety lines pressed down firmly on each step to ensure proper installation. Once confirmed secure, soldiers in neat rows descended from the sky-tethered vessel to the petal-strewn ground below.

The citizens of Bloody Mary trembled with fear at the sight of the Solar Army in their ivory and burgundy uniforms. However, when Victor finally descended to the ground last, their fear melted away like frost under divine radiance.

Just the sight of him descending in full military gear displayed such majesty that if tanks and armored vehicles were to be brought out, the citizens might faint with fountains of tears.

“GLORY TO THE SUN!”

Cutting through the thunderous battle cry, the Sun descended to earth.

The fluttering petals burned in the overwhelming heat, and the red petals covering the ground faded from crimson to pink under the overwhelming radiance, eventually transforming to pure white, reminiscent of magnolia petals.

Victor had finally arrived.

The light of the Sun had descended upon Bloody Mary, which would mark the final chapter of the Hurichel continent.

*

Bloody Mary’s welcome ceremony was modest.

It was partly because the town survived on tourism, but more importantly because it was a place that produced and exported films and dramas, using those profits to operate the government. Compared to other landmarks, its scale was remarkably small.

Compared to Crater Hills across the continent, perhaps one-tenth the size? Of course, it was still home to hundreds of thousands of people, but having just come from a city of 15 million, the welcome from a city of less than a million showed clear limitations.

The welcoming committee was anxious about this, but Victor did not reproach them. Instead, he greatly praised them for scraping together funds for a banquet despite their limited means.

Simultaneously, Victor granted his soldiers permission to enjoy the city’s amenities, and the troops, moved by their god’s mercy, rushed into the city center with money pouches full of wages that had accumulated to the point of fermentation.

“The reception for this great figure is now complete. I shall be exploring the mountains with my wife. You may all disperse.”

“But… you’ve only just had the banquet.”

“I know your circumstances are not favorable. Under the sun, there can be no lies or pretense. Would you disobey the orders of the god you seek to welcome? Distribute what you prepared for me to the poor. I believe you understand my meaning.”

Upon Victor’s words, the welcoming committee nodded, bowed respectfully, and withdrew.

In truth, he could have easily enjoyed what the committee had prepared, but he was so overjoyed at regaining his senses that he made this somewhat unreasonable request to spend intimate time with his wife, especially since they were at Hurichel’s most beautiful landmark.

He had already informed his party members, and Simon would have tipped off the corps commander and officers, so there shouldn’t be any issues with his solo action.

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes, dear.”

The couple walked arm in arm.

Even at the tail end of autumn as it yielded to winter, red cherry blossoms continued to flutter in the air.

*

“Where are we going?”

“To where the wife of these petals is buried.”

“My goodness.”

Does a tree dedicated to a grave grow by feeding on love? Or does it grow by feeding on corpses?

Even knowing what happens under the sun, one cannot know everything. Things that happen under the night, things that occur beneath ceilings—these were beyond his sight.

Besides, tracking the death of an ordinary person would be even more impossible.

“O Sun!”

As they headed toward the grave, a voice called out to the couple.

Surprisingly, it was also a couple, and in the arms of the wife was a newborn baby, still covered in vernix (the thin, greasy film covering newborns that disappears after 2-3 days), wrapped in layers of swaddling clothes and nursing at its mother’s breast.

“What is it, my subject?”

“O God, if it’s not too presumptuous, would you name our daughter?”

“A name?”

As Victor hesitated, unexpectedly, his wife stepped forward.

Raisha gently caressed the newborn’s skin, and the vernix instantly dissolved.

When the nursing baby opened its eyes to look at her, she gathered moonlight at her fingertips and drew a perfect full moon on the baby’s tiny forehead.

“Luna. That will be your name.”

As she whispered this, the baby smiled warmly, revealing empty gums.

Luna was an ancient word meaning “moon.” For the goddess of the moon to give such a name—could there be anything more fitting?

“O Goddess… thank you… this honor will never be forgotten.”

“Raise your child well. So she may walk the world vigorously by day and dream good dreams by night. Blessed by the moon, no nightmare shall harm her.”

“Praise the mercy of the Moon!”

After the couple left, intoxicated with glory until the very end, the Walker couple stood dazed for a long while.

Mortals are called mortals because they eventually die.

Even that blessed child will someday reach a point where life’s pain exceeds life’s joy, leading to death. It is precisely this finite nature that drives humans to continuously move forward.

“Darling.”

“…Yes?”

“Someday, could we also have such a beautiful child?”

“…Of course. We certainly could, when the world is reunited and you and I ascend to the throne…”

They could not have children.

Due to the curse the moon placed on her, she had become infertile, unable to conceive.

At the end of the Dark Age, filled with pain and despair, Maria had to let go of life she had carried ten times, and that wound was now transferred directly to Raisha.

The husband tightly embraced his wife to comfort her, then took her hand and headed toward Mary’s grave.

As they walked, they saw an enormous cherry tree, larger and more vibrantly blooming than any other.

“Mary, happy soul who died in love, heed my command.”

As the Sun commanded, the wind responded. The abundant cherry blossoms took the form of a woman, and Victor asked her what she desired most.

“Where is your husband buried?”

In response, the petals danced in the wind.