chapter 52: The Crying Child: Valentina’s Release

Valetina stared at Illeia, who was slowly clenching her fist and approaching.

Everything was over.

Nothing was left for her anymore.

The faith she had built over thousands of years.

The pride she had protected by wielding her sword countless times.

Everything crumbled with a single gesture.

She wanted to deny that fact, but she no longer had the strength to deny it.

Her fingertips were faintly trembling.

The sword she had swung with all her might.

Now, it was too heavy to bear even its weight.

No, it wasn’t heavy.

It was just meaningless.

“…What is this?”

Her lips cracked like dry sand, and a parched voice escaped.

There was no more anger in her voice.

No animosity.

…

Not even the despair of defeat remained.

It was just.

Quiet emptiness.

She looked down at the sword.

As if flowing from her hand, the sword fell.

Clang.

For a split second, it sounded like something was shattering.

No.

It wasn’t the sword that broke, it was herself.

“I am…”

She whispered, her lips trembling.

“I am… who was I?”

She no longer knew who she was.

She had lived to fight.

She learned how to hold a sword.

She learned how to live with a sword.

She had proven everything with a sword.

…

But,

Now, she didn’t even have a sword in her hand.

Then,

What was she?

Who was she…?

Did she have a reason to exist if she lost her sword?

Her breath trembled.

Something welled up from deep within her chest.

A hot emotion.

But it was neither anger nor sadness.

It was…

…

Simple.

Resignation.

She understood that everything was over.

She had no choice but to understand.

Since her very existence was denied.

She had no more paths left to take.

She knelt down weakly.

The cold wind scattered her long hair.

Her eyes were empty.

She slowly raised her head.

Illeia was standing in front of her.

She still wore a gentle smile.

The smile was so warm.

It made her even more desperate.

“Now, kill me. Illeia.”

Her voice was no longer strong.

The majesty of the battlefield, which she once possessed.

It also disappeared.

It was just.

The voice of someone who had given up everything.

She no longer found a reason to live.

What meaning was there to life for her, who couldn’t hold a sword?

What meaning was there to existence for her, who couldn’t wield a sword?

It was better to end it here.

Since her sword had stopped, her life should stop here too.

That was her way of existence.

“…Finish it quickly.”

She looked straight at Illeia.

Her eyes now held no emotion.

Just, waiting.

As if this ending was predetermined from the beginning.

Now,

She was ready to accept death.

“Pfft…”

At that moment, the air changed.

The black wind that was blowing.

The gray dust rising from the barren land.

Even the blood-red sunset that colored the endless battlefield.

It felt like it had stopped for a moment.

She smiled.

A quiet laugh.

It was so out of place in the noise of the battlefield.

It was like a quiet lighthouse found in the middle of a stormy ocean.

It was like a single flower blooming in a desolate field engulfed in flames.

But, even more overwhelming than that –

Was Illeia’s own existence, the owner of that smile.

Valetina looked up at her.

Until now, she had never properly looked at the enemy’s face on the battlefield.

While swords clashed.

While blood splattered and bones broke.

Staring at the enemy was just a useless sentiment.

But, now –

Her eyes turned towards Illeia.

And, in those eyes, she saw the radiance of a god.

Dazzling.

Her silver hair.

It sparkled like a crystal that held light.

Each time the gentle wind blew.

Her hair softly fluttered.

It seemed like a mysterious phenomenon in itself.

Her blue eyes were deep and wide.

Like the ocean.

Like the night sky.

They held endless possibilities.

They held unspeakable gentleness.

She slowly tilted her head.

Then, through her slender eyelashes.

A delicate shadow was cast.

And—

“Why would I kill you?”

She chuckled softly.

The laughter was so warm.

Valetina became even more distant.

Why?

She couldn’t understand.

Those she had trampled.

Those she had burned.

Those she had cut down.

They never forgave her.

They hated her.

They cursed her, were angry, and wailed.

But—

In Illeia’s eyes looking at her at this very moment.

There was no resentment.

There was no hatred.

Only, kindness.

Her smile was not a lie.

A warrior who had stood on the battlefield could instinctively know.

It wasn’t a fake face.

It wasn’t a pretentious hypocrisy.

Her smile was sincere.

As if she had accepted all of this from the beginning. As if she was already prepared to embrace even her sins.

Her presence was warm.

She didn’t laugh coldly.

She didn’t sneer cruelly.

She didn’t despise her.

Rather,

She was smiling at her.

As if comforting a child who had made a small mistake.

Valetina tried to open her mouth, but no sound came out.

Perhaps, she was realizing for the first time.

That the ‘salvation’ she had been seeking so desperately.

Might have existed in another way from the beginning.

She didn’t even know that simple truth.

But, she felt like she knew now.

That the being she had tried so hard to destroy.

Instead of killing her.

Was smiling at her so warmly.

…

It was.

A truth too harsh.

“…”

The wind blew.

Her sword had already fallen to the ground long ago.

And,

She wanted to cry.

For the first time.

Truly, for the first time.

Whoosh—

The wind blew from somewhere.

The battlefield filled with gray.

This place stained with hot heat and blood.

It regained a moment of quiet peace.

Now, everything was over.

And—

She said.

“You can cry, my dear lizard.”

That voice.

More gentle, warm, and embracing than any other time.

It was like a lullaby for a dark soul that had wandered for a long time.

Illeia opened her arms.

Valetina was frozen.

Her heart was pounding deep within her chest.

The presence before her was so calm.

The one she had fought countless battles with.

The being she had never managed to destroy.

She, more than anyone else, was strong.

She was the most complete being.

But now.

That perfect being was trying to embrace her.

Without punishing her.

Without killing her.

Without judging her.

Just.

Wearing a gentle smile.

She was embracing her.

At that moment.

Like a sandcastle collapsing.

She broke her own shell and ran.

“…—!!”

Strongly.

Throwing everything away.

She embraced her in her long silver hair.

She jumped into that warm embrace.

As if a child looking for her mother. As if a lonely soul wandering for many years.

Finally found a haven.

“Ah… Ah…!”

She cried.

All the emotions she had suppressed burst out.

For hundreds, thousands of years.

She didn’t cry.

She didn’t cry even when it hurt.

She didn’t cry even when she despaired.

But now.

There was someone who told her it was okay to cry.

There was someone who told her they would accept her.

In that embrace.

For the first time, she sobbed like a child.

“Ugh…! Woo…! Haa…!”

This was not just sadness.

Anger, regret, pain, loneliness.

And…

“Waaaaaah!!! Ugh… Aaaaah!!!”

The salvation of a lizard girl.

Mixed with all the emotions.

It flowed down her shoulders.

Illeia gently patted her back.

Valetina’s cold and sharp body.

At this moment.

It looked so small and weak.

But.

That was the real her.

She had hidden it until now.

The real ‘Valetina’.

“It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”

Illeia whispered softly.

Her voice was like a warm light that soothed all the wounds of the world.

“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

“Ugh… Heuk…”

Valetina nodded.

“It’s okay now.”

She burrowed deeper into the embrace.

And.

Finally, she quietly let out the one word she couldn’t say.

“…Thank you…”

Illeia smiled gently.

“I’ll be here with you forever.”

She held Valetina even tighter.

“I don’t really know what it is to be an enemy anymore. I don’t know much about war.”

“A god…?”

“Not just any god. A god. A truly omnipotent being. But, I am still ignorant when it comes to people like Valetina…”

I will learn slowly, so watch over me, okay?