episode_0141

Am I… dead? I don’t know how much time has passed or if I’m even alive.

However, there was something strange about being dead. Obviously, if I were dead, I shouldn’t feel anything, so why do I feel warm now?

It wasn’t as soft as the bed I always used to sleep on, but I felt enough softness from my back to relax.

And the chill that had chilled my entire body before I lost consciousness has disappeared, and only the gentle air surrounds me.

“·····!”

And the moment I realized I was alive, I opened my eyes and raised my upper body, gasping for breath, like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare.

····what. Where is this place?

A view of a house I had never seen before in my life took root in my field of vision. A space made entirely of wood, exuding the scent of nature, and providing a sense of tranquility.

I was sleeping in a place I didn’t know whose house it was. Maybe it was because I had rested for quite some time, but my body didn’t feel like it was going to break, but my whole body still throbbed.

So who on earth brought me to this house?

“···Are you awake?”

Just as I was thinking that, the door to the house opened and someone entered. He must have saved my life, so I should have said thank you quickly, but I couldn’t.

This is because the person standing in front of that door now had ears like those of a cat.

“···Suin?”

The words came out without me even realizing it. okay. The person standing in front of me now was not an ordinary human, but a beast.

“Yes, human. Are you coming to your senses?”

“Ah. Sorry! Stop without even realizing it…”

“It doesn’t matter. You are a noble person.”

He must have been the person who saved me, but what did he say as soon as he saw his face? What the heck. It was obvious that I must have been rude to her, so I hurriedly apologized to her, but she snorted as if she really didn’t care and put down the luggage I had brought inside the house.

“So, is your body moveable? When I brought you here, it wasn’t surprising if you died right away.”

“Yes. It must be thanks to the treatment… thank you. The savior of life.”

“·········”

I bowed my head and thanked her for her slightly sarcastic words, but she didn’t say anything.

I raised my head and looked at her face to see if there was something wrong, but she stopped in place and looked at my face blankly, as if she was really surprised.

“···Well, is there any problem…?”

“No, no. That’s not it… Because this is my first time seeing a person like you.”

After that, I had a short conversation with her. She introduced herself as ‘Car”‘, so I told her my name too.

The reason she was surprised was simple. It’s because I, a human, was truly grateful to her, a beast.

I was just doing what was natural for a human being, but I didn’t know why she was surprised, so I looked at her with a questioning face.

“Most of the people I’ve seen so far were selfish. Even if we helped them, they quickly forgot about us and looked down on us.”

···ah. I understood what she meant. This may be because the negative views of prisoners in the public eye have not yet disappeared.

Even in the stories I heard over my father’s shoulder and while following him around, it was difficult to hear positive stories about prisoners. Most people ostracized and hated them for no reason at all just because they were beasts.

I just couldn’t understand. What on earth did they commit? Are they doing something like that that their ancestors did in the past, so much so that they can’t even remember it, and it’s become a legend?

I told my father exactly what I was wondering. Then, as always, my father spoke to me with a kind smile.

“Venice. Stick to your beliefs. Just because many people cry out loud, doesn’t mean it’s always the right answer.”

At the time, it was difficult for me to understand because I was young, but as time passed, I was able to understand what my father said.

Because my father helped the beastmen even in situations where most people ostracized and loathed them. The good deeds done by my father were not limited to humans alone.

“I don’t think that beastmen and humans are different.”

That’s why I was able to speak confidently. There is no difference between humans and beastmen. There are only slight differences, but they are all beings who deserve to be loved.

“···Huh. What a strange human being, indeed.”

Kar laughed as if he was dumbfounded, but quickly smiled.

“You can move your body, right? Then follow me.”

“···Yes? Where are you going?”

“Come quietly. Because I don’t mean to harm you.”

I slowly get up from the bed, stretch my body, and follow Kar. And I looked at it quietly.

A scene where we follow Kar’s lead and have a conversation with the residents of a small village. A scene where the residents, except Kar, are very surprised when they say thank you. There’s even a scene where Kar laughs, saying he knew this would happen.

As I was looking at them, the person who was looking at me next to me with his arms crossed opened his mouth.

“I’m really grateful to these people. So I still haven’t forgotten my gratitude to them.”

Taaaak-!

He smiled and snapped his fingers, and as if the hypnosis was lifted, the world shattered, shattered, and returned to the dark space where we were standing.

“···Did you decide to help the prisoners because you received help from them?”

“Well, you can say that. And, following my father’s words, I did my own good deed.”

“Is it okay to not look at the memories after this?”

“Okay. Because you will know everything anyway. Compared to the two memories I saw earlier, it’s nothing, right?”

As I shake his hand, his memories begin to come flooding back to me. From the memories I saw just before, to the memories I had when I woke up.

After getting enough rest in Kar’s village, I left the village and returned to Raoul’s mansion with them seeing me off.

At the mansion, I faced the butlers and maids with miserable expressions, and told them the whole story of the incident.

After that, I visited people who had a close relationship with my father and mother, told them their stories, and engraved all their condolences in my heart.

Although it was something that could cause someone’s heart to break in sadness and despair. I didn’t.

Because my father and mother will always be watching over me. And… because I decided to follow my father’s beliefs.

I decided to head to a space where people seemed to be in desperate need of help. Of course, they did not demolish Raoul’s mansion or fire the butlers and maids.

As always, I asked you to take good care of Raoul’s mansion. You might say it was a waste of money, but it didn’t matter because I wouldn’t be able to use all the money I had in front of me even if I spent the rest of my life anyway.

As I was walking around the city to take care of the work left behind by my father, I happened to hear a story.

“···The city of Espilia has now become the most developed city in the empire!”

···It is the most developed city. Whenever there is light, there is always darkness. The desire to help those who were in the shadow of the empire’s most developed city arose.

I headed to Espilia without hesitation. It was definitely the most developed city, as I expected, but there seemed to be a lot of people in need of help.

We provide some comfort to the burning hearts of people in the upper class and share our generosity with prisoners in the lower class who need help.

And one day, suddenly, my vision changed and a beastman appeared before my eyes.

Su-in, a cat who looks somewhat angry and doesn’t seem to like it.

“···That’s how it happened. Now my story is over.”

“Phew. If it was really long, it was long. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s definitely true.”

“········”

I watch them having a conversation as if they were talking to a close friend. No, I look at ‘me’. Then they also look at me.

Compassion engraved in their eyes. And when looking at homogeneity. I could tell.

Just as I held their hands and became aware of their memories and emotions, they also received my memories and emotions.

“···It must have been very difficult for you too. It must have been even more miserable because it was a peaceful world.”

Some might say it was sympathy, but the comfort I gave myself was only sincere.

“We all lived really hard lives.”

Everyone is in a different situation, but everyone has endured a difficult life and is standing here.

“Don’t worry. Because we will always be with you.”

It was only a short word, but it seemed to comfort me more than any other words. Words that truly empathize with all the days I have had so far.

And then.

“Uh…huh?”

My body began to glow brightly. No, it would be correct to say that this entire space began to glow brightly.

I could tell. This signal indicates that it is time for us to part ways. And whether they felt it too, they each expressed their own emotions.

“I think it’s about time. There will probably never be a day where we can talk face to face in the future.”

“It was nice to meet you. Please continue to look after me!”

“Everyone… let’s live well. In our days when there was only darkness, from now on only blessings and light will be with us.”

The space gradually begins to become brighter, and begins to shine so brilliantly that it is difficult to stand with your eyes open.

Eventually, we look at them for the last time as they disappear together into bright light, turning into specks of light.

They look at each other and then say one last word.

Vice-captain Seris.

Miss Ariel.

Kali.

And your love. Please take care of me.

My body started to disappear. And smile brightly as you look at them. They also smile brightly at me.

I hope that your future life will be filled with only blessings and light. We gradually disappear in the brilliant light that shines on each other and ourselves.