episode_0094

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

Dylan stared blankly at the woman who had once been his mistress.

She bows her head solemnly and apologizes to herself, as if truly asking for forgiveness.

Dylan couldn’t help but be taken aback by the sight he had never seen before.

“I thought of you as nothing more than a tool to get closer to Hera. That’s why I ended up hurting you. I’m really sorry. ”

“…..”

“Coming here like this might seem shameless.”

“…….What happened?”

Dylan was puzzled by her face, which looked completely different from the last time he had seen it.

In response to Dylan’s question, the woman looked up at the sky for a moment, then smiled sadly and answered him.

“….I just had an opportunity to look back on myself.”

“Are you talking about the occasion?”

“Yeah. There was no monster.”

The woman then took a small sword out of her hand, walked over to Dylan, and placed it in his hand.

Dylan looked up at her with a bewildered expression, the small sword now in his hand.

“What is this?”

“What’s the point of forgiveness just in words?”

“…..”

“I can’t kill you, but… you can cut me until you feel better. Or do you want something else?”

“…Athena.”

“Ah. I don’t think that’s possible, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have strange thoughts?”

Athena briefly abstracted the past and smiled with a life-giving smile.

“Someone said that the other day. It wasn’t even funny.”

Athena continued speaking, leaving Dylan blankly staring at her.

“Of course I didn’t kill him. I guess you could say my life as a man is over.”

Athena laughs and speaks in a murderous tone as if nothing happened.

Her appearance still exuded an intimidating aura.

Yes. Her energy still pressed down on the surroundings like a strong sun.

But it’s different.

Before, it was a hot sun that seemed like it would burn everything.

Now, I could feel a huge, embracing force that could warmly embrace all living things under the sun.

Still the same, yet so different. Dylan smiled faintly at her appearance.

And he gave her the sword back again, saying:

“It’s okay, Athena.”

“Dylan.”

“There is no need to apologize. I do not hold a grudge against Athena.”

“….what?”

At the unexpected words, Athena’s eyes opened wide for a moment. Looking at Athena like that, Dylan told her some good news.

“I have a son.”

“…Congratulations.”

“Seeing that guy growing brightly every day makes me feel good for some reason.”

Athena didn’t know what he was talking about, but she listened to him politely until the end.

“….I’ve thought a lot since that day.”

Dylan continued talking without waiting for a separate answer.

“I didn’t know it then. Looking back, it was exactly as Athena said.”

“What?”

“From the moment I first met Athena, I thought of her on my own. She was someone who would naturally live righteously. She was someone who would protect us with her great power. She was a hero. She was just a girl, much younger than me.”

“….”

“It wasn’t just me. Every citizen of the empire thought so.”

“Yeah, I know. But it’s okay now.”

At Athena’s calm acceptance, a hint of guilt sprouted on Dylan’s face.

Soon he approached Athena and knelt quietly.

“…What are you doing?”

“I also have to apologize. For judging and placing expectations on the person who was once my master without even looking at him properly, and for putting a burden on him. ”

Athena stared blankly at Dylan for a moment, and Dylan continued speaking silently.

“Athena, I have a favor to ask you.”

“Say it.”

Dylan, still on his knees, pulled out the long sword at his waist and held it out in front of her with both hands.

“Can you give me another chance to serve Athena?”

“…..”

“I want to faithfully serve Athena, whom I have seen with my own eyes, not the image created by my foolish preconceptions.”

Athena stared at Dylan blankly for a moment at his determined words, then sighed and accepted the sword held out in front of her.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Thank you.”

“…Yeah.”

Anyway, my feet are going back to the mansion.

It seemed like I wouldn’t be alone.

* * *

“…What?”

He and Dylan return to the mansion.

Dylan went to report back to the Knights.

I entered the mansion and headed towards the office.

At that moment, the brown-haired maid Alina ran towards me, panting for breath.

Her expression was intensely bewildered, and she called out to him urgently.

“Who’s here?”

“You are a warrior. I heard you came to find Athena.”

He also felt embarrassed.

The Holy Sword Hero, announced to the Empire about a month ago.

The youngest person to reach the Grand Master level. A person who is far from worthy of the title of genius.

He is the one who pulled out the holy sword that was sealed with him and gained the qualifications of a warrior, and he can be called the hottest person in this empire without a doubt.

I don’t know why such a warrior came to me.

There probably wasn’t any separate contact.

“First, we brought you to the meeting room.”

“Okay. I’ll go right now.”

I thought I could figure out what was going on just by looking at his face.

After sending Alina away, I walked down the hallway to where the meeting room was.

As I was walking alone like that.

I muttered softly as thoughts of her came to mind again today.

“2 years is too much, Hera.”

Hera left, saying she would take some time.

But, mercilessly, even after two years, she still hasn’t told him a single word.

I think I’ve been in touch with Alina from time to time. Why haven’t I heard anything from her?

‘…Do you still hate me that much?’

Then there was nothing to say.

What I did was clearly a sin.

But I wonder if there is still some selfishness left in me.

I miss her.

No, I will correct it.

I was so hungry I thought I would go crazy.

The two years felt like just one year.

In this lonely place without her around, it didn’t feel like living at all.

It was all my karma, so I accepted it and held on as best I could, but lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve reached my limits.

Every night he started dreaming of her holding him, and every time he did, he would stay up all night.

“If you don’t come quickly, I might go crazy, Master.”

As I was trying to calm my anxious heart as much as possible, I arrived in front of the visiting room.

I tried to erase all thoughts of Hera and think about the being inside of me.

brave.

Wielding a holy sword imbued with the protection and power of the goddess. The only being who can defeat the Demon King who inherited the power of the demon god.

The Holy Sword was sealed by the power of the Goddess so that it could never be drawn unless one was sufficiently qualified.

I remember that at one point, I got interested and tried to pull it out myself. All that happened was that the ground around me split. The holy sword was still firmly embedded in the ground.

Well, even if I were a goddess, I don’t think she would have given the holy sword to someone like me.

If you look at the warriors of all time, they all had righteous personalities, so there’s no way they could have become warriors themselves.

Let’s laugh and look forward, and before we know it, we’re in front of the door to the visiting room.

As I opened the door and went inside, a girl with a thick, concentrated divine energy came into view.

Her silver hair suits her beautifully. She is beautiful, but at the same time gives off a worn-out vibe.

A girl who looked familiar. I’ve definitely seen her before.

“….you.”

Let’s call her out in a trembling voice.

The girl’s purple eyes rolled back to him.

within.

Kwaaang-!!!!

A huge black aura rose in front of him.

.

.

.

“Really..”

In the fluttering dust.

After raising himself from among the fallen debris, he looked at her while dusting off his clothes.

“I can’t believe it. You were Carlos’ disciple.”

A small smile appeared in my bewildered heart.

“And I never thought you’d show up as a warrior.”

“I came to get it back.”

The girl’s voice was so deep that it felt cold and empty.

In her eyes, which had lost their vitality and had become dark, a single point of light that seemed to yearn for something was shining ominously.

The girl stealthily grabbed the sword and held it out to me.

“Where are you, sister?”

Even amidst the merciless murderous intent coming from the girl, I let out a hollow laugh.

“I don’t know either.”

“…..What?”

“I don’t know. So you’re saying I’m going crazy these days?”

“……”

Soon I looked up at the sky and muttered softly in a small voice.

“..When will you come, Hera.”

Bam-

A strange sound, as if teeth were grinding or breaking.

With an ominous atmosphere, the girl was looking at me with a seething face.

“I’ll kill you horribly.”

The girl’s eyes were so empty and sunken that it was impossible to describe them in words.

– How sad it is that a little girl has such poisonous and empty eyes.

Something his close friend once said came to mind.

Then, a deep sense of guilt tormented me as if stabbing my chest.

“…Yeah. I guess I have to apologize to you somehow. But first-”

Before the words could even be finished.

A colorless black aura flew towards my neck at an invisible speed.

But let’s nod our heads to the side.

All that the black magic had left was a small living thing on his cheek and a few strands of hair.

“I need to calm down.”

“Die.”

Let the girl radiate mana around her.

Like the screams of the dead. It seemed as if a single, terrible scream was heard from Mana.

With a sad expression, I put my hands into the air.

For a moment, a light flashed and a sword with a golden blade was in my hand.

“…..I didn’t know I’d be fighting a warrior.”

Without saying another word, he ran towards the girl.