episode_0000

“…Cough.”

“Please, hold on a little longer, Master. I will make you feel better soon. It’s possible, it must be…”

Innumerable wounds had been endured.

Anything graspable had been wielded as a weapon, even more so.

Having experienced being cut by the dagger thrown,

being deceived and stabbed in the shoulder while parrying the sword,

and falling after an arrow struck the chest.

But this…

This is a different story.

“Rian… Rian -”

The master I had pushed over to save approached me.

Blood stained his unkempt long hair that was not properly tidied up.

The unharvested purple scythe fell to the ground, starting to crumble.

“I-I didn’t want this. Why, why did you…”

The master who couldn’t avoid it tried to grab hold of me.

Pushing away such a body, a delicate hand stained with blood.

“Move…!”

In the blurred vision, Lena’s distorted face appeared.

Not a drop of blood mixed in, but always my… younger sister who considered me as her brother.

“Because of you, because of you, Brother…!”

“What I intended, I, I -”

I hope we don’t have to fight.

We all came this far together to save the world.

“Rian, sir.”

A warm hand raised over my cooling body.

And tears.

Two horns emitting blue will-o’-the-wisps, standing straight up… Ermaguna.

“If you command, I will obey. To prevent further prolonging of suffering.”

The withdrawn blade.

A flashing blade.

Placing my hand on it, I lowered it so it wouldn’t turn towards me.

I understand your heart, but I also know how wrong that heart is.

“I said, didn’t I? Nothing can be resolved by death…”

Tears fell at the squeezed voice.

Clang, as nose met floor.

Another person who became a crying mess was added.

“Brother…!”

Lena, who ran straight to my side, grabbed my hand.

She tried to push light into the wound again… but I already know.

It’s too late.

“Lena, I told you, right?”

Blood surged out.

Grabbing the hand that came close to the greatsword piercing my stomach, I pulled it away.

I didn’t want to waste any more strength on a hole that couldn’t be filled.

“I am your… hero.”

“No, we don’t need heroes, we don’t need saviors, just stay by my side… okay?”

“In heroic tales, the end always… goes like this.”

Holding the sword to protect.

That’s why we saved three people and another village.

“Master, sir.”

Shuffle, shuffle.

Approaching like that, the master sat down beside me.

His violet eyes turned towards the wound, then closed.

“It’s my fault, I, I… If only I had avoided it, if only I had -”

“It’s not your fault, Master.”

With a hand covered in blood, I left a mark on his wrist.

Trying to remove the sticky fingers, I was held back.

“Sorry, sorry…”

Even though I wanted to nod at the conveyed apology, my fingers loosened due to the disappearing strength as much as the escaping blood.

Although both hands were held, they didn’t fall to the ground.

“Lord Rian, even if it’s your final… command.”

The flickering will-o’-the-wisps were fading before my eyes.

Perhaps indicating that my life was almost extinguished.

There’s still much to teach and much to do.

“Take care of your tribe, Emma. I may not have been able to do it for you, but for those people… they need you.”

Empowered by the gods, the heroes all fought and died for others.

Even with my sword in hand, could I have done the same?

Or am I a failure for not even being able to defeat the Demon King?

Struggling to bring down just one vanguard leader, I am dying like this…

“Brother…!”

I’m sorry, Lena.

I couldn’t stay longer.

“Ryan…”

I apologize, Master.

Only disappointing you, unable to become a better disciple.

“Yes, I will do so.”

Please, Emma.

Do what I couldn’t do.

The unspoken words remain trapped inside my mouth, sinking down.

Down below.

Into the deep darkness.