Ch.99Chapter 99: After Traversing the Pure White Path

#

After completing the sealing ritual, Shizu’s actions were all swift.

She quickly withdrew the holy sword she had summoned, storing it back into the void.

She rapidly twirled her empty fists lightly after no longer holding the holy sword.

And among all these actions, the quickest was how she gently extended her head forward, asking me to pat her head.

Was she asking for praise because she did well?

Even though her expression wasn’t clearly visible with her head bowed, I could vividly imagine what kind of face she was making right now.

If she’s asking for praise because she did well, how could I, as her fiancé, be stingy with compliments for my fiancée?

With that thought, I gently reached out my right hand to stroke the top of her head, but…

“…Huh?”

As I heard Shizu’s short exclamation filled with confusion.

Wobble

Her body, which had been bowing its head, lost balance and started to tilt toward me.

“Shizu!!”

Startled, I instantly changed the purpose of the arm I had extended to pat her head, using it instead to catch her body.

My right arm, which had changed its purpose with perfect timing, successfully caught her as she was about to collapse to the ground.

I was quite relieved that lately, whenever she lost her balance or was about to fall, my extended arm seemed to serve its purpose well.

After carefully turning her body that I had caught with my outstretched arm to meet her eyes.

“Heeh…”

What entered my vision was Shizu’s face, making a languid moan and showing signs of fatigue, but still wearing a comfortable expression.

I felt relieved seeing that she wasn’t making the painful expression of someone with a fever from a cold like yesterday, but…

“Sorry… I wasn’t thinking about the accumulated snow and suddenly my foot slipped.”

For some reason, a corner of my heart ached when she apologized to me for something as trivial as being tired and slipping a little.

When you think about it, all of this happened because you stepped up to resolve the matter related to the impure energy that Fafnir had asked me, not you, to handle.

Apart from showing a brief moment of anxiety as morning came, you’ve continued to display such a brave front.

Contrary to my optimistic assumption that you had fully recovered…

Realizing that you still didn’t have the energy to properly control your body as it tried to slip on the snowy path, I felt even more apologetic.

Because of that, wanting her not to feel sorry for such unnecessary things, I said:

“Why are you apologizing for something like that?”

I tried to dispel her apology with the warmest voice I could muster in my current state, but…

“You had a hard time yesterday too, carrying me on your back. I wanted to make sure you weren’t more tired after our sparring, but I’m sorry for making you move unnecessarily because of me…”

“…”

Her voice, expressing an even deeper apology, cut off what I was about to say.

Despite the overwhelming difference in energy consumed between purifying the demonic mark infused with impure energy through the sealing ritual and the energy spent catching someone about to slip on a snowy path…

Shizu felt sorry that I had expended even a little energy for her sake.

I couldn’t find words to say.

“…”

Thanks to the gratitude welling up and filling a corner of my heart…

I couldn’t open my mouth out of concern that if I did, instead of refined language, a voice filled with sobbing would come out.

“…Sorry.”

My silence caused Shizu to misunderstand, making her apologize once again.

It was clear that if I left things as they were, apologies would continuously flow from her lips, so I tried to say something to stop her, but…

[Young one.]

My mouth couldn’t open due to Fafnir’s voice suddenly echoing in my head.

Why was he interrupting at this crucial moment, preventing me from opening my mouth when I should?

[Wouldn’t action be better than a few words saying it’s okay?]

Oh…

That was quite a useful piece of advice.

I wish he would give such advice more often…

[…Ahem.]

As Fafnir’s solemn throat-clearing, filled with many implications, echoed in my mind…

I pushed aside the unnecessary thoughts related to his advice to a corner of my consciousness.

Following his advice, I prepared to show her through action rather than words that I was fine right now.

By choosing the best way to make her comfortable after she had accumulated fatigue from performing the sealing ritual.

“Kal? What are you—Ah!”

By positioning myself right in front of her, kneeling down, bending my upper body, and preparing to carry her on my back.

Her reaction came immediately.

“I’m… I’m fine…”

“I feel completely refreshed after walking a bit. You’re more tired than I am right now.”

“But… still.”

“Remember what I said two days ago? That I’d carry you like this whenever you needed it.”

“…Yes.”

“You look very tired because of the sealing ritual. When else would I lend you my back if not now? Don’t push yourself and get on.”

“…Thank you.”

In response to my gentle voice urging her to get on my back, Shizu finally accepted my request by leaning her body against my back.

And so, Shizu, who had been escorting me back to the lodging to relieve the fatigue accumulated from our sparring, was now being escorted by me carrying her on my back instead.

The warmth emanating from her body leaning against my back warmed my body, which had felt cold due to the chilly weather as snow fell.

Two days ago, I had carried her when she was drunk.

Yesterday, I had carried her when her consciousness was dim and her body unwell due to a cold.

Compared to those situations, Shizu’s body on my back today was very warm.

Warm enough to instantly warm my body and heart that had grown cold from the chilly air as snow fell.

[…The one who was singing about being tired from sparring now has plenty of strength to carry someone around.]

‘I’m willing to do even more than this if my fiancée is tired.’

[Well done. Very well done. Really.]

Just as I put up a wall against Fafnir’s voice that seemed to be teasing me after I easily carried her…

Dong-!!

The bell in the large spire located in the center of the town rang, announcing noon and resonating throughout the fortress.

Even as we moved past morning and into the afternoon…

Due to the snow falling heavily from the sky, in this place where only she and I were the only people…

“It’s warm…”

Shizu’s small yet remarkably clear voice tickled my ear as she said it was warm right after getting on my back.

Clear enough not to be drowned out by the rather loud sound of the clock bell.

Listening to that voice, cold yet incredibly warm…

This winter, where such a contradictory scene could unfold…

Is truly wonderful.

#

The journey toward my lodging with Shizu, who was quietly riding on my back and letting out pleasant soft sounds, was a continuous joy.

Unlike two days ago or yesterday when she was limp from alcohol or a cold…

Carrying Shizu like this around the entire fortress wasn’t tiring, and…

“…I remember.”

“What?”

“I’m recalling the memory of when Kal first carried me on his back when I was young.”

“…Really?”

Unlike all the moments I remember carrying her, you’re fully conscious and not only not making things difficult for me but also speaking to me in your pretty voice so I won’t get bored…

“Back then, you carried me when I was unwell and helped me safely descend the hill despite the rain, wind, and even lightning.”

“It was easier to come down because the lightning stopped when I carried you.”

“…But you were bedridden for days after carrying me then.”

“I was really grateful that you stayed by my side.”

“I’m the one who should be more grateful…”

“Let’s call it even.”

“Okay. Hehe.”

Not only could we exchange stories about memories that we both find beautiful without any discrepancy…

“It was like that then. Two days ago… yesterday… and today too. Thank you so much for lending me your back when I was struggling.”

I could even receive her sincere words of gratitude directed at me.

When I first realized I had regressed…

I never thought I would be able to receive such gratitude from her, so it felt quite emotional.

Suddenly, I remember that time.

In the timeline that now only I remember…

The memory of the moment that I, who lived recklessly while being swayed by feelings of inferiority, considered to be the best thing I had ever done.

There was a time when I desperately carried you on my back, trying to protect you from the pitch-black waves of malice as you were sinking and losing your light because of me.

I didn’t do it expecting some grand reward or anything…

I ran desperately with a sense of duty to save you, who would clear away the darkness covering the world and restore light, and…

With a belated tenderness, hoping that at least you would survive.

With each step I took, my heart felt like it would burst…

And because of that, blood flowed profusely from every hole in my face…

I ran so hard that blood smeared the mask I wore to cover my face full of wounds…

Fortunately, I was able to save you from the surging waves of malice…

And right on cue, my body, which had pushed beyond its limits to exert strength, collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, preparing to meet the end of its life.

I closed my eyes thinking that I could at least end my wretched life, which had been so consumed by inferiority that I couldn’t even acknowledge the beauty of the star before me, in a useful way…

But that wasn’t the end of my life; it became the first chapter of my second life, where I had to take on evil deeds for what needed to be done, even while being resented by you.

Not long after, even though I became someone who received only cold resentment and anger from your lips when you recognized me performing evil deeds…

My wretched body, free from inferiority, would only tremble whenever I saw you…

Silently accepting your anger without saying anything, fearing that you might be harmed in any way…

After all the arrangements I had prepared for you succeeded…

I thought my life would end satisfactorily by turning to ashes and disappearing after seeing you save the world…

But through the miraculous power of turning back time, I returned to the moment just before everything went wrong…

My heart changed when I saw you looking at me with concern as I bled after being hit on the head with a sword blade…

“What, thanking me for something like this? If you receive something more impressive, won’t you cry?”

I was able to respond to her gratitude with a playful voice while trying to hide my embarrassment.

I spoke with a playful tone to her serious words, just like when we were young. How would she respond?

“Of course. I’ll cry a lot. Do you think there’s anyone else who could make me cry like this besides you?”

Oh my, the current her is exceptionally skilled at making me uncomfortable beyond what I expected.

I had expected her to be flustered and mumble without being able to say anything…

“Um… really?”

Instead, she made me utter such a flustered voice.

Crunch

By the time the sound of stepping on the now considerably accumulated snow was clearly audible to my ears…

“We’re here…”

As she said, we had reached the lodging where I was staying.

An entrance door made of ebony wood welcomed me and Shizu.

Yesterday, when I first came here with her suffering from a cold, it felt gloomy…

But now, it seemed quite impressive in contrast with the white snow falling.

It seems that the presence of one person beside me—or more precisely, on my back—changed my impression of this black door.

As soon as I realized this, a bitter smile almost escaped my lips, but…

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Tea brewed by Kal? I’ll have some.”

I was able to suppress the bitter smile, thinking that I should let Shizu, who had been directly exposed to the chilly wind from the heavily falling snow, have some tea to warm her body.