episode_0039

“I dug my own grave, heh, I dug my own grave…!”

I sighed as I looked down at the empty space below my feet, twice the height of 11 meters, which is the height that humans fear the most.

Who can we blame? It was she who came up with the idea of climbing over the wall and invading, despite all the hardships she went through.

“Okay, okay.”

He stuck the silver sword into the wall and struggled as if he was climbing. The silver sword’s edge seemed to be begging for death, but unfortunately, it was only a blade made of a dream, so it didn’t have the edge to break like a real sword.

“Ugh, gasp. Sigh…”

As soon as her hand touched the edge of the wall, Leah grabbed it tightly and flipped over, landing on the wall.

Wouldn’t it be okay to take a quick breather?

Fighting in this state would only put me at a disadvantage. In fact, it was also because I hadn’t moved my body so vigorously in a long time, so I wasn’t used to it.

And in fact, Leah’s worries may not have been necessary from the beginning.

Puu …

Deng―― Deeng―――

“This is an intrusion!!!”

“The traitorous former warrior has invaded!!!”

The loud sound of the horn, the noisy sound of the bells and the sounds of people were telling me that I had no time left to rest.

In fact, even without a sound, it was obvious that hundreds of soldiers were surrounding her. Among them, there were one or two angels, and the regular soldiers were also using their divine powers.

“That girl has lost the strength of a warrior. Don’t be afraid and kill her!”

“”Die!!””

I know.

How long was the rumors sprinkled while I was resting in the demon?

The common people of the empire have no choice but to believe the rumors spread around and have no opportunity to hear the truth.

But I can’t help but feel a little bit disappointed.

Do you really not know anything about how hard I worked to protect this land? How much pain it was.

While the other warriors were locked up, saying they were ‘training’, I was left alone in an actual battle, my life was at risk, I didn’t even receive any training, and I had to take on the Demon King’s army with my bare body in an environment where I would not have been surprised if I died.

Even though all I got in return was the ridicule of the nobles, I thought it was okay to protect the innocent citizens.

I still remember the smell of the dirt as I rolled on the ground after being attacked, and the pain when the tendon in my wrist was cut off by the magic of Galvan, the Four Heavenly Kings who invaded the empire, and I lost my sword. I also remember how rough Gabriel’s heel was as he reattached that tendon.

Now that I think about it, the reason the Demon King sent the weaker demons first to give me a chance to grow, and the reason Galvein suddenly disappeared at crucial times, saying he was summoned by the Demon King, were all because of Abel. Of course, I have no grudge left over from that. But…

I hope you at least know that I protected you.

The girl flew into the air like a butterfly, her yellow hair fluttering.

She gracefully dodged the spears that were piercing her neck and the swords that were swinging, and she accurately cut off the sword hilts and spear shafts of some with her short silver sword.

Every time a sword slashed, one soldier was rendered incapacitated.

Layers of blood were added to the floor.

Girl Leah even felt a sense of liberation. Every time her heart pounded, she felt like she was flying. Her light body flew through the air and stabbed the angel in the neck by surprise.

Phew.

“Ugh, ugh… This, damn… seed of evil…”

Unlike last time, the angel let go of his lifeline so easily. Could it be that this silver sword has some power that opposes divine power?

With just a little force, I was able to rip the angel’s neck off.

“Don’t come near me. Do you want to be like this too?”

Even for religious reasons aside, the sight of that mighty angel being decapitated and his vertebrae dangling in my hands was demoralizing.

I didn’t feel that guilty about doing this series of actions.

An obsession that was ingrained in the minds of both Noah the Great and Leon the Warrior. All humans are without sin, so I must protect them.

That notion was such a huge shackle to me. No matter who blamed me, I had to think it was my fault, and I had to be patient and compassionate.

If even a saint is so selfish, how can a mere mortal bear all that burden?

“I had a dream, but I didn’t know that the dream was nonsense in the first place.”

I looked at the soldiers running towards me all at once.

“I literally dreamed. People weren’t ready to dream in the first place.”

With a thud, ripples formed in the pool of blood.

The soldier thought.

Am I looking at a butterfly right now? Or is the butterfly looking at me?

It wasn’t possible to make everyone dream. I’m not a saint. No, even for a saint it was impossible.

The flower petals scattered.

With the heart of a wounded dreamer.

-Crunch. Clang! Chaaaak!

“Mimong.”

The dreamer became a realist.

I didn’t give up on salvation. I just started to look at them cynically, thinking that they had to take care of the people who were precious to them first, that they couldn’t be patient anymore, and that they had to protect them blindly.

It was a change brought about by the goddess. It was unclear whether it was because she had lost her dream or because she had come closer to it.

However, I was able to figure out this one thing.

As long as I have this silver sword in my hand and this black heart beats within my body, I will continue to seek salvation.

Thud, thud.

Leah walked slowly down the wall.

“Ahhh, ahhh…”

“Save me…”

A painful groan rang in Leah’s ears.

I went down one step of the stairs.

The promises of salvation that I had tried to keep all this time passed by. My purpose to save everyone…

I went down another step of stairs.

Sloppy, sloppy.

The blood of the corpses he had cut down clung to the soles of his feet.

Arms, legs, and terrified faces were torn to pieces and were floating in a pool of blood.

Leah turned away.

There was no time. How could I convince them all? More people would have come.

If time had been delayed, the goddess would have been summoned, and then Abel’s sacrifice would have had to be performed.

Leah had a sort of certainty that tonight’s dreams were going to be terrible.

“You were wrong. You called me a traitor. You didn’t even consider my sacrifice. You tried to kill me. …You killed Mino, you killed Abel. You tried to kill my precious people.”

The path of self-rationalization never ends.

Leah ran to the center where the summoning magic was being used.

I felt like I was going to throw up, but I didn’t have time to do it.

I’m a murderer. Really.

“Why?”

It seemed like the voice of a person who was clearly dead was being heard. El’s voice was mixed with a light laugh.

I knew it was an auditory hallucination.

But I wanted someone to agree with me, so I answered while running.

“Those people must have been precious family to someone. They must have been someone’s Leah, Leon, and Abel.”

The blood on the silver sword was so disgusting. Even though the rain started to fall like tears, one or two drops at a time, the blood did not wash away.

“You’re good at wrapping up bullshit. You’re not Abel. Live a little selfishly. ”

If it was really Elle, she wouldn’t have said something like that. Because she was the one who was led by my dream.

“There’s no need to feel so guilty for killing less than a hundred people… Ha, right. You’re that kind of person. Then let’s talk about it a little differently.”

I wish he would just disappear and stop tarnishing the honor of the dead, but the empire was so filthy large that even if I ran with all my might, there was still so much to do.

Thud, thud. Thud, thud…

“Why do you feel guilty? You did enough. It’s natural to feel burnt out.”

no.

“Honestly, if it weren’t for you, the empire would have already fallen. It’s not enough to bow down, but if you turn people into prostitutes who sell their bodies to the Demon King, then you’ve reached your limit.”

I had to be patient.

“Everyone takes care of their loved ones first. Is there any reason why you shouldn’t do the same?”

My heart is beating.

“You have to eat three meals a day, get plenty of rest, and then dream to be fine. Do you think they heard you saying you’d let them on the ark later?”

If you could convince me…

“No way. You’ve seen human malice up close and you still don’t know?”

At least you shouldn’t say that to me when you’re wearing that guy’s skin.

“Then should I have said it like Abel? That would have been more repulsive.”

What the fuck.

“Yeah, this is better. Just be confident, Leah. What’s wrong with killing people? You sat those grown men down in chairs, put chin rests on them, and floated them up to their mouths, and you kicked them. They refused to board the ark of their own accord. Leah, you’re just sick of seeing the human race, not trash. ”

“The fact that you’re even thinking about letting someone else on the ark is proof of that. From the moment you were thrown into the trash can, no human has the right to criticize you. Do you still see them as lambs? They know what they know. It’s just easier to accept that, and it’s fun to criticize, so they just kept silent. ”

…

“What I consider human is those who have a minimum of morality and conscience, not those beasts. Leah, do not give your flesh to the beasts. Your salvation was achieved solely by your goodwill, and you alone are qualified to give it up.”

I couldn’t help but be convinced, even though I knew these words were just sweet hallucinations created by my brain.

Honestly, I might have just been too tired. from all the abuse.

Whatever the reason, I just accepted these words.

*****

Noah’s ark only carried Noah, his family, and a male and female pair of animals.

There were no other humans on board.

It was only natural, since it was the result of their own evil intentions.

*****

There is a door that can be opened now that the guilt is gone.

This door is the familiar door of the Magic Tower.

If you go inside, there will be magicians creating a barrier and conducting a ritual to summon the goddess.

All we have to do is kill them all and it’s over.

To protect Abel.

To protect the Demon King’s Castle family.

I closed my eyes and raised my sword.

A cold hand reached for the handle.

There was no hesitation in opening it.

-Tsk!

It was not my will that prevented that action.

Instead, it was a sound that left such a deep scar in my memory.

If you slap someone in the face, that’s exactly the sound they make.

And now my cheeks were red.

“You dirty commoner who doesn’t know honor… I knew this would happen someday, but you’re really dirty, you lowly whore. If you still have a shred of honor left in you, then immediately put a knife to your stomach and commit seppuku and kill yourself. Then I’ll cut off your limbs and display your corpse at the main gate of the empire, and finish you off honorably. ”

I might like Anna.

“Haha.”

It makes my mind so clear and guilt-free.

“What are you looking at? If it were me, I would have already died. Should I show you again through violence that dying rather than rebelling is the only honorable thing to do?”

Enaga was right in front of my eyes.

Where did you sell your noble character as a knight, now you’re in a mean state wearing a slave necklace?

Oh, and by the way, I also owe her a debt for killing my mother.

Mother, village people.

People who no longer exist.

-Crispy.

It felt like something had been broken.

“Good job.”

The devil’s whispers came to my ears.

My last ounce of guilt was shattered and gone.