Chapter 267

Chapter 267

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“That was a long time ago. I’m really fine now.”

Celian, who was walking beside me, suddenly asked. I knew well why she was worried. The place we were about to arrive at was a place I missed, but not a place I welcomed.

Although I said I was fine, as the outlines of buildings began to appear in the distance, my heart started beating faster, and a drop of cold sweat trickled down my nape. However, I couldn’t show such a state to my friends, so I just pretended otherwise.

Of course, if I wanted to, I could simply take a different route. But the reason I decided to pass through this city was to steel my resolve a little before the final battle with the Demon King.

With the final battle approaching, this was a small effort to boost my fighting spirit and increase my chances of victory.

And… just in case. It might be my last chance to set foot on my homeland and visit my parents’ graves. I knew I shouldn’t think weak thoughts, but as a human, it was unavoidable.

“Yuri…?”

Although I said I was fine, did it show? Yuri, who had been walking a step away, came closer and held my hand tightly.

My steps, which had felt heavy due to the tension suppressing me, seemed to have become a little lighter.

***

“Miss!”

Perhaps because I had become quite famous, someone was waiting to greet us as soon as we entered the city, even though we hadn’t made much of a commotion.

Although the city had been restored to a state where it had most of its former glory, it was inevitable that some parts were still lacking. It was remarkable that it had been revived to this extent without a proper lord managing it.

Of course, among the many cities in the empire, a teleportation gate, which only major cities possess, was an impossible dream, so it took several days to get here. It seemed that while we were walking, someone in the capital had contacted us about our movements.

“It’s been a while, Uncle Gil. I’m glad to see you safe.”

“I was so happy to hear that Miss was safe… Now I finally have the face to see the late Count.”

Gilbert Graham. He was the butler uncle whom my sister and I were close to when we were young. He was the uncle who, when we were caught sneaking into the kitchen late at night, would secretly give us a cookie and tell us to eat it and go to sleep, instead of telling our parents or scolding us.

Furthermore, he was so capable in various aspects that most of the Frentz family’s affairs were handled by Uncle Gil.

Therefore, it was natural that he was almost always by my father’s side during work, so I thought he had died with my father on the day of the demon attack.

So, it was only natural to be happy to see him alive when I never expected it.

“When I heard that Miss was coming, I prepared the room you used in advance. Let’s go.”

Gilbert, unable to hide his joy, guided us into the carriage in a rather clumsy manner for his age.

On the way to the mansion, I looked around the territory through the carriage window.

The streets looked neat, with almost no traces of the attack. The memories of my childhood mixed with the sight before my eyes, evoking a complex mix of emotions.

“Just a moment!”

In the midst of this, I spotted something unfamiliar on the street and immediately stopped the carriage.

“El?”

At my sudden shout, not only Gilbert, who was driving the carriage, but also my other friends looked confused and questioned me.

But instead of answering, I got out of the carriage and slowly crossed the road, heading towards what I had seen.

‘For a friend who embarked on a long journey ahead.’

A small tombstone was erected in a small clearing. And around it were a few flowers that looked recently placed and still held their freshness.

The name inscribed on the tombstone was unfamiliar. However, it was noticeable that the tombstone was located in a clearing where children might play, rather than in a cemetery.

“Uncle, this tombstone…”

“You are correct. It is a tombstone commemorating the victims of that day. Most are gathered in the memorial hall, but some have small tombstones erected in places that hold cherished memories. The residents understand their feelings a hundredfold, so even if it’s a grave of a stranger, they often pause for a brief moment of remembrance.”

Since the majority of the territory was destroyed and there were more victims than survivors, the residents who had safely survived and settled in this city shared the same wounds. Even immigrants from outside who hadn’t experienced that day could understand that much.

Even though it was the grave of someone I didn’t know, my heart ached as I looked at it.

Indeed, it was not wrong to have decided to stop by this city.

“Before we go to the mansion… can we stop by somewhere else for a moment?”

“…Understood. Please get in the carriage. I will take you there.”

Gilbert simply held the reins of the horses and didn’t ask where we were going. I, too, got back into the carriage without saying a word about where we were headed.

Only the sound of the carriage wheels rumbling quietly filled the air.

*

“Then I will wait outside.”

Gilbert chose to wait outside, perhaps out of consideration for me, rather than following me inside.

“I’m sorry. Today… can I go alone?”

Furthermore, I asked my friends to wait outside for a moment. I knew it was shameless to make such a request after dragging them here, but I really wanted to be alone today.

“What’s there to ask for between us? We can greet them next time, so hurry and go.”

Fortunately, my friends didn’t get angry but instead reassured me with bright expressions. Feeling grateful for my friends’ thoughtfulness, I slowly walked into the building.

Numerous ossuaries were displayed from the entrance. Some had only small photos or portraits instead of ossuaries.

Slowly moving my steps towards the center of the building, I passed by visitors who were also paying their respects, exchanging brief nods. How long did it take?

Unlike the areas I had passed before, a slightly more ornate space appeared, yet not overly so, given the nature of the place. Despite being a fairly large space, unlike the scenes I had seen earlier, only a few frames and ossuaries were placed in the center of the room.

“Ah…”

A voice escaped my lips without my realizing it. I could feel it without needing to confirm.

Mom.

Dad.

I’m sorry for coming so late.

***

How much time had passed? My eyes were wet, and my throat was hoarse, as if I had shed tears.

Having grown up as an assassin, I thought I knew how to control my emotions, but this was the first time I realized I was capable of losing my composure and crying to this extent.

Perhaps because I was the lord, I was given a larger space than others, so my parents’ portraits were in quite large frames. Although I, their only remaining family, had come so late, there were surprisingly many other visitors, as evidenced by the abundant bouquets of white flowers placed around.

The faces of my parents in the portraits, placed amidst the flowers, were so lifelike that I could recall them clearly from my childhood memories.

“Huhu… You must have been surprised to see me like this?”

I spoke to myself as if my parents were truly before me. I thought that if I rambled on like this, perhaps my parents’ spirits might even visit, and I might hear a word or two from them.

I apologized to my friends waiting outside, but I sat on the bare floor and talked about various things for a long time. I talked about how I ended up pretending to be my sister, how I reunited with Yuri, whom my parents would have known, how Celian saved me, and various stories from my academy days… I had so much to talk about.

“Then I’ll be going now. See you next time.”

After talking so much, I felt considerably calmer. After all, today wasn’t the only day, and I could visit them many more times before heading to the Demon King’s castle.

As I brushed off my bottom and stood up, my eyes caught sight of a portrait placed next to my parents’ frames.

It was a familiar face.

It was my face, to be precise.

More accurately, it was the face of ‘Zeno Frentz’ from my childhood.

While my parents had both their ossuaries and portraits, only a portrait was placed here.

Naturally, there was no ossuary for me. After all, how could my remains be found when I was alive and well? It wasn’t even funny.

As I walked outside, I glanced back. My parents, and next to them, my portrait came into view. My heart ached again at the sight of a family portrait with one person missing.

Truly, it wasn’t funny at all.