Ch.370Chapter 370 – The Laboratory (3)

I put down the documents I was examining and closed my eyes for a moment.

Along with recalling the old man’s curse, memories of past events began to resurface.

‘…Damn it.’

The old man who died calmly, yet left me with an unforgettable curse.

And beyond him, I recalled others who resisted me in their struggle to survive.

‘…Criminals, they called them, but…’

Yet, true to that religious order’s nature, there were people who seemed hardly criminal.

Like the man sentenced to death because his criticism of an abusive cleric was inflated into blasphemy.

Or the old man sent to me for striking down men who tried to harm his daughter.

Probably, they sent people who had offended the eyes of those priests or their associates.

And they would have vanished like dew on the floor of that arena.

By my hand, no less.

‘…I need to go there.’

It was a foolish thought.

It was already over.

It wasn’t something I could call my fault.

I should have been focusing on finding information instead.

It was meaningless.

But now.

I felt I would regret it if I didn’t visit the place where they had disappeared.

Chris approached me, noticing that I had suddenly stopped moving.

“Sir Kay?”

“…I’m going to take a look around for a bit.”

Perhaps because the atmosphere had changed, everyone in the room, including Eve and Sera, looked at me for a moment.

“Kay.”

“I’m fine. …Just feeling some eye strain from reading so much.”

It was a terrible excuse.

But perhaps sensing the change in atmosphere, Eve and Sera looked at me with worried expressions.

Soon Chris, Eve, and Sera began exchanging glances.

Chris nodded.

“Then, let me walk with you for a bit, Sir Kay.”

“I can manage on my own.”

“No.”

Chris spoke firmly.

“…Even if no enemies have been detected, this is still hostile territory. For safety, I think we should move in pairs at minimum.”

“You’d be in danger too…”

“You know my abilities, don’t you? I can hold them off until the others arrive.”

Perhaps wanting to appear reliable, Chris struck a pose as if showing off her biceps.

Of course, nothing was visible through her nun’s habit sleeves.

“And if something suddenly happens to you, Sir Kay, I can take care of you.”

Chris said with a smile.

And before I could object, she looked at Sera as if to settle the matter in advance.

“My eyes are tired too. Sir Kay and I will take a short break. Is that okay?”

“…Yes. Leave this to us, Chris.”

Though slightly disappointed, Sera smiled as she sent Chris off.

Then Eve looked at me and said:

“Take care, Kay.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“You can take your time.”

Eve said quietly.

“Rest until you’re satisfied, Kay.”

“…Alright.”

Could Eve have noticed?

No, perhaps they all noticed.

The records we’re examining also document what the test subjects did.

Maybe they had seen my past that I couldn’t remember and made their own assumptions.

Even if not, I’m a simple man, so they might have already figured it out.

“I’ll be back.”

“Be careful.”

Sera said with a gentle smile.

I could see her already moving to the next section, having finished her assigned area.

As I watched the two of them, Chris smiled and said:

“Let’s go, Sir Kay.”

“…Right.”

I couldn’t back out now.

I quietly slipped out and headed outside.

Chris and I walked silently down the corridor stretching before us.

Chris wordlessly held my hand as we walked.

Perhaps because of that warmth, I felt my mind gradually calming.

‘This is reassuring.’

Was it some aura of tranquility that came with becoming a deity?

Of course, there was no such thing in reality, but just having Chris hold my hand made me feel a bit more at peace.

I gathered my thoughts about what to do next and looked at Chris’s face again.

‘…Chris was a clergy member.’

I realized that her help would be valuable for what I was about to do.

“…Chris.”

“Yes.”

I looked at Chris’s face.

As usual, she was looking at me with a gentle expression.

To her, I quietly said:

“I have a favor to ask.”

+

I walked along a path that was once familiar, one I had hoped never to walk again.

Chris silently walked alongside me.

And after dragging my heavy feet along the way, I finally reached my destination.

“…I can feel lingering resentment here.”

Chris said with a slight shiver.

Then she looked at me.

“…What is this place?”

“An arena, I suppose you could call it.”

I quietly answered Chris.

“An arena?”

“They made test subjects fight each other here. The priests of the Emiris Order watched it as entertainment and recorded it.”

I looked up as I answered Chris.

The seats where priests once sat and looked down were now empty.

“And it was also an execution ground.”

“Execution ground… for whom?”

“People the Order designated as criminals.”

I spoke quietly to Chris.

“This was also a place where test subjects were made to carry out their executions.”

Unconsciously, I turned my head to look at the floor.

The memory of the blood-stained floor surfaced in my mind.

“…You didn’t do it because you wanted to, right?”

“Still, the fact that I did it doesn’t change.”

I answered bitterly.

Like in a confession, I quietly spoke to Chris.

“They might have been real criminals, but… among the people I disposed of, there seemed to be many who were sent here with exaggerated charges just because they protested against the Order.”

Many people included their sense of injustice in the curses they hurled while making their final struggles.

Thinking back slowly, they seemed like trivial reasons that had been blown out of proportion.

“Sir Kay.”

Chris quietly looked at me.

“…They might have actually been criminals justifying themselves in their final moments, but I thought they might have been innocent people. And although I was being controlled, I still disposed of them with my own hands.”

“…So that’s what was bothering you.”

“Yes.”

I nodded toward Chris.

“The reason you brought me…”

“…I want you to help me pray for the victims to rest in peace.”

I quietly answered Chris.

“It might be self-satisfaction. But since I’ve returned, I wanted to pray for their peace. That they may rest in peace. That they may forgive me.”

“……”

“It’s selfish, but once I remembered, I couldn’t ignore it.”

It was already over.

It happened long ago.

The dead cannot return, and the bloodstains will forever remain in my heart.

Still, I couldn’t just do nothing.

The moment I remembered, I felt I had to do something.

I wanted to pray for their peace.

Soon Chris quietly nodded and smiled.

“I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“Chris.”

“It’s what you want to do, Sir Kay. It’s an honor if I can help.”

And, Chris quietly added.

“More importantly, please don’t belittle what you’re doing as self-satisfaction.”

“But…”

“Don’t belittle it.”

Chris quietly emphasized.

“…Even if you only remembered after coming here, deep down you’ve carried guilt and gratitude, and that’s why you want to mourn those who were sacrificed. In this harsh world where it’s hard enough to take care of oneself, many people don’t pray for those who were sacrificed by them or for them, making excuses. So…”

Chris paused briefly to catch her breath.

Then, she smiled.

“Please remember that your desire to mourn those who were sacrificed is valuable and admirable in itself.”

Chris said quietly.

“…Chris.”

“I may not have lived long, but I hope I don’t sound presumptuous.”

Chris smiled and put her hands together.

“Shall we pray with our hands together? Let’s pray to the deity you believe in for the peace of those who passed away.”

“…Yes.”

The deity I believe in.

I prayed to the deity right in front of me, who was with me.

I offered a small memorial for those who were sacrificed.

Chris also closed her eyes and helped with my memorial.

The divine power emanating from her began to fill the arena.

As if purifying this land.

It was a light that seemed to wash away the resentful spirits of those who died unjustly.

‘It’s warm.’

It felt like light seeping into my heavy, cold heart.

I strongly felt that I wanted to stay in this light, even if just for a moment.

My sense of time faded slightly.

Was it a short time, or a long time?

Soon the light began to fade, and the arena, now feeling slightly lighter than before, came into my view.

“…The resentment lingering in this place has calmed a bit.”

Chris looked at me and said.

“It’s okay now.”

“…Thank you.”

I briefly expressed my gratitude to Chris.

Chris smiled and said:

“Do you feel at peace now?”

“Somewhat.”

I said with a small smile toward Chris.

“…I’m sorry for involving you in this unnecessary matter.”

“Not at all. Everyone was surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere.”

So they did notice.

“I worried you.”

“It’s fine. Apologize to the others. And…”

Chris carefully said:

“…At least, since you remembered the past, if you didn’t resolve your feelings about it here, it would remain a wound that would eventually prevent you from moving forward… that’s what I vaguely felt.”

Was it because she had become a deity?

Or was it simply a woman’s intuition?

Chris quietly continued:

“…So, please don’t blame yourself too much.”

“Chris.”

“…Some of those who were sacrificed might know it wasn’t your will.”

Chris smiled weakly.

“It may be presumptuous of me as someone still living, but I think they will gradually forgive you when they see you mourning for them.”

“And if they don’t forgive me?”

I quietly asked Chris.

“Then I’ll bow my head and ask for forgiveness too.”

“…Chris.”

“If they don’t forgive us easily, I’ll keep my head bowed until they do.”

Chris said firmly.

“And I’ll honor their memory by living earnestly.”

“By living earnestly?”

“If this life includes their sacrifice, living earnestly for their share too would be a way to honor them.”

Chris looked at me.

“I believe that’s also a way to honor them.”

Chris said with a small smile.

“For that, you’ll need to live a long time, won’t you? Because you need to live earnestly.”

“…Yes.”

‘She’s incorrigible.’

Thinking she was a bit cute, I quietly answered Chris.

“To honor them by living earnestly, huh.”

Affirming Chris’s words, I looked at the place where dew once fell.

-‘You’ll regret living like a puppet.’

-‘Try to live without shame toward yourself.’

I remembered the old man’s words.

Perhaps that old man had thought this far when he placed the curse on me.

I couldn’t know.

It was just the living making their own conclusions.

‘…But if, as Chris says, I honor them by living earnestly.’

I should strive to survive.

Remembering the words the old man left me with at the end.

“…Shall we go then?”

“Yes.”

I quietly answered Chris.

My heart felt a little lighter.

It was time to return and help the others again.

That’s when it happened.

I sensed something that shouldn’t be here.

-Clap clap clap

A strange clapping sound was heard.

Not the sound of flesh hitting flesh, but the sound of inorganic materials colliding.

At the same time, it was a sound that shouldn’t be here.

“Who’s there.”

I immediately drew my weapon and pointed it toward the source of the sound.

Chris also immediately entered a combat stance and raised her staff.

At the same time, she moved one hand behind her back and pressed something.

Taking my eyes off Chris, I glared at where the sound had come from.

“Show yourself now.”

My voice echoed throughout the arena due to the surrounding silence.

Then, the clapping stopped, and a person began to walk out from the upper part of the arena.

Both hands were prosthetics.

A white-haired old man with a benevolent face appeared.

“That was a wonderful speech.”

The old man said with a smile.

“Living earnestly is also a way to honor the dead? Perhaps I should use that sometime.”

The old man looked down at us.

“I didn’t expect to meet again in such a place, in such a form, nor did I expect to hear such good words.”

Putting his hands together in prayer, the old man looked at us.

And with a benevolent smile, he said:

“It’s been a very long time. It’s truly nice to see you again, Test Subject 13. The false goddess.”

Within his benevolent tone, there was a faint sense of killing intent and familiarity.

It was an eerie feeling.

Sensing this, I called out the name of the voice’s owner.

“Somnus.”

“I’m honored that you remember me.”

Somnus looked at me and bowed deeply.

Somnus smiled with a benevolent face.

It was a cold smile that didn’t feel human at all.