Ch.80The Green Lady (4)

*

Was it because the green lady had removed all the demonic energy from my body?

Or perhaps, while I was in the spirit realm, the demonic energy in this forest had grown even denser.

The air, more polluted with demonic energy than before, pierced into my lungs.

Everything she said had been right from beginning to end.

Without the green lady’s help, I would never survive in this forest.

Yet I had no intention of leaving the forest while bearing these cursed eyes.

From the start, the demonic energy was so concentrated that it stung my eyes, making it difficult to even assess my surroundings. Even if I wanted to leave the forest, it would have been impossible.

I bit my lip hard.

It felt like being beaten endlessly while tied up, unable to resist.

Fate, misfortune, or malicious coincidence.

I don’t know what to call it, but I was sick and tired of being constantly tormented by this fateful existence that no mere human could resist.

The worst part was that not only my body, but even my emotions were incapable of any resistance or escape.

Even if I wanted to resent someone, there was no one to blame.

Resenting the situation would be, well, completely useless,

And if I tried to resent people, there was no one to receive my resentment.

When I tried to resent the gods, I found that the goddess and the green lady were also caught up in this fate, drifting along, and were trying their best to change this destiny.

In the end, all that remained for me was either to give up this terrible life, or to stand up even if it meant sacrificing others.

These were my only two choices.

If I didn’t want to sacrifice the green lady, I could simply do nothing.

Then I would die, and perhaps escape this disgusting fate that tormented me.

“…Damn it,”

But I raised my hand.

Following the method the green lady had taught me, I slowly waved my hand, gathering magical power at my fingertips.

“I’m sorry.”

I spoke words of apology.

The green lady would tell me it was okay, but this wasn’t just an apology directed at her.

It was an apology and a declaration to my parents, my sister, Laila, the men I had killed, the corpses of Millwood Village that I had burned, and perhaps the many people who might become entangled in my curse in the future.

I hated myself for being hypocritical, for not being able to be shameless about my desires and my wrongdoings.

Would there ever come a day when I could take my sins lightly?

When would I become accustomed to sacrificing others?

It’s laughable.

Despite not being good, despite having already chosen to do bad things, I found myself utterly ridiculous for clinging to every form of hypocrisy.

I had already made my choice anyway.

“I want to see Silvia.”

Just as a blue light seemed to gather at my fingertips for a moment, a large mass of light burst from my palm and shot up into the sky.

It felt similar to when I had summoned a fox on my palm.

The only difference was that I didn’t recite a spell.

The mass of light that had shot up into the air slowly emitted a wind that drove away the surrounding demonic energy, gradually shedding the light that enveloped it.

Like the shell of a dragonfly’s wings slowly peeling away, the shed shell slowly unfolded into a thin dress.

The green lady, neatly wrapped in the dress, was slowly rotating as she descended from the air.

An angel, a fairy, or perhaps a nymph.

Emitting an otherworldly beauty that was difficult to describe, she slowly landed before me.

“…”

She didn’t say a word.

It seemed as if there was nothing more to say, as we had already exchanged enough farewells.

In my vision, blurred by tears that I kept wiping away while squinting my eyes, which were as bloodshot as my pupils, she glanced at me once and gave me a gentle, refreshing smile.

She took a deep breath and brought her hands together in front of her chest.

From her yellow skin, teal rays of light began to seep through, reminiscent of white cloth being dyed, and soon started to burst forth.

Although I had not yet made any request or given any order to her, the green lady acted without a word, as if not wanting to give me even a moment to hesitate.

Her feet, which looked like intertwined tree roots, slowly began to take root and sink into the ground.

The rays of light that tore through her yellow skin slowly transformed into solid branches.

A strong wind blew from all directions.

Leaves and soil flew about wildly, and the gale was so strong that I had no choice but to cover my eyes and crouch down on the ground.

How much time had passed?

As the wind above my head gradually subsided, I could feel that the surrounding demonic energy had disappeared.

Perhaps that intense wind had blown away all the demonic energy.

I rubbed my dry eyes and slowly raised my head.

“…This place,”

The scenery before my eyes was very familiar.

The lakeside where I had once visited with Silvia.

Had I been here since leaving the spirit realm, or had that tumultuous wind just now brought me here?

With a sense of wonder that was difficult to confirm, I slowly turned my head to look around.

Everything was almost identical to the landscape in my memory, but there was one noticeably different thing.

In the middle of the lake, a large tree had taken root in the ground beneath the water’s surface.

This tree was clearly one that hadn’t been there before.

The leaves of the tree were dark green, and the trunk was solid brown, but with yellow streaks here and there.

I slowly walked into the lake, approached the tree, and gently placed my palm against its massive body.

A tangy citrus scent seemed to brush against the tip of my nose, though I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

“…It’s you. My Queen.”

Naturally, the tree gave no answer.

Just like her in her final moments.

Come to think of it, this beautiful lake was also where I first summoned the fox.

It was probably the day I was training in magic with Silvia.

Perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that the fox’s form first appeared in my hand that day.

Considering both the fox and the green lady brought me here, it seemed this place was full of spirit energy.

I slowly got to my feet.

I turned my head and shifted my gaze far beyond the lake.

Though I couldn’t see it, somehow I could feel it.

That only the area around this lake was safe from demonic energy.

I could leave, but judging by the concentration of demonic energy I had felt earlier, it would be difficult to wander around like before.

It meant it would be hard for me to go out looking for Silvia.

“…I guess I’ll have to wait.”

If my memory serves me right, this lake was less than thirty minutes away from Millwood Village where Silvia and I lived.

Perhaps Silvia coming to find me might not be such a distant future.

Silvia was an agile hunter and an excellent warrior.

She would surely notice the changes in this forest quickly.

Besides, the green lady had clearly told me.

That Silvia was still in this forest.

She even said the warrior would come looking for me soon, so it must be true.

I trust the green lady.

I have to trust her.

After all, that’s the least I can do to repay her.

“In the end, I again…”

A guilt as cold as the lake water crept beneath my skin, piercing my heart.

I slowly rested my head against the tree.

“…Sor-“

Plop.

As I was about to apologize, a leaf fell onto my head with a soft tap.

At that touch, which felt like someone stroking my head, I closed my mouth tightly.

She had said that death for spirits is a different concept than for humans.

It’s not about the soul leaving the body, but about blending with nature.

Moreover, the green lady’s body had become a tree and remained here.

I could still sense that she was watching over me.

I carefully picked up the leaf that had fallen on my hair.

It was a leaf as green as her hair.

It was as if the green lady was telling me to stop.

“…Can you still hear me?”

Even though I was her rightful master, she had asked me not to pity her, despite having sacrificed everything for me after just one meeting.

Not a sacrifice, but a wish, she had told me.

Then what I should say isn’t an apology.

I once again pressed my forehead against the large tree in the middle of the lake and said,

“Thank you. Truly.”

From somewhere, a breeze blew, causing the leaves to sway gently, making a rustling sound that resembled laughter.

At this scene that seemed like perfect communication, I smiled softly.

I slowly pulled my forehead away and muttered,

“…By the way.”

I hugged my arms.

Was it because I had been in the water?

Now that I was more aware, the weather felt a bit chilly.

From what I remember, it was still summer until the day Millwood Village burned down.

“…How many days was I in the spirit realm?”

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