episode_0064

So, I talked to Milia for a while.

Damien’s treatment is said to be almost complete. Because the bleeding was so severe, I was still in bed.

It is said that he will probably be able to wake up from his hospital bed and move around freely by tomorrow.

Unlike me.

I still have a hard time even turning my head.

Although it must have been a miracle of healing.

Well, it must have been that serious. When I fell after cutting Natalia, I thought I was really going to die like this.

“…So…now…”

Millia’s words became more and more slurred.

Is it because I am lying in bed exhausted and unable to move?

Once again, a deep sense of fatigue creeps in, pressing down on my consciousness.

“……”

“In the system, there are rumors like this…”

My eyelids were heavy.

I suddenly come to my senses and then sink again, again and again.

Milia must have noticed that my answer was not coming back, and she stopped talking.

“Are you tired? Well, I guess so. Let’s get some rest now.”

I still had a lot to ask, but I couldn’t hold out any longer.

“Sleep well, Hashal.”

Consciousness sinks into darkness again.

=======[Dream?}=======

dreaming

As always.

Numerous incomprehensible images pass me by one after another.

A one-eyed old man sitting on a throne with two birds in his care, looking down at me.

A woman who makes greenery bloom on the endless land.

A pure white girl receiving something from the woman.

And, thirteen meteors falling from the sky.

The world is getting darker.

The shape of the dream gradually changes.

To a nightmare.

In a world that turned black, only one being remained.

A growling beast bound by countless gray chains.

A massive object with no end in sight blocks the sky and casts a shadow over the entire earth.

It was more like a mountain range with fur.

A red lake pooled beneath the beast’s feet.

The sharp nails attached to the ends of the chain were digging into the animal’s body and holding it in place.

It was literally a steel straitjacket and a huge leash.

The beast looks into space and howls.

If thousands of lightning struck at the same time, would it be comparable to this roar?

The world trembled.

and.

Light fell from the sky.

A dazzling light illuminates the world and falls, wrapping the bleeding body of the animal like a veil.

Nails that touch the light are pulled out little by little.

Pulling out the gray chain, the white holy light gradually changes its shape.

Nothing had changed.

Because it was also a chain.

================

When I opened my eyes again, Millia was no longer there.

Instead, a woman I had never seen before was looking down at me.

no. Isn’t this the first time?

Sapphire-colored eyes resembling a winter lake sparkle.

Long eyelashes were half covering the pupils of the eyes, like snow-covered ice settling on the surface of the water.

Pure white hair without any blemishes, flowing down the cheeks and casting a shadow on the face.

She was a delicate and beautiful woman like a porcelain doll.

A chain-shaped tiara that shines in gold. Pure white robes without a speck of dust.

It was an outfit I had seen dozens of times.

Lacey Elmain Stadolph, candidate for saintess of the Church of Elfinel.

“Are you awake? Princess Aishangior.”

She made eye contact with me and quietly opened her mouth.

It was a business-like voice that made it difficult to understand the emotion.

I was just taken aback by this unexpected encounter.

I had planned to go see him someday, but I didn’t know that he would come from the other side first.

Why would anyone be so busy doing relief work?

“I’m glad it happened. I was wondering if I should keep waiting until my eyes open.”

“Who are you…?”

Speak carefully.

There was no need to do that, but the voice was half-submerged anyway.

“That white hair. I’ve heard this somewhere…”

First of all, I decided to treat him like a stranger.

Because it’s strange to immediately recognize someone you’ve never met before.

No matter how unique your appearance is.

“This is Lacey Stadolph, of the Elfinel Church. He’s your senior.”

“Candidate for sainthood…?”

“You know. Yes, that’s right.”

Lacey nodded slightly.

“Why does a person like that make me…”

“Of course, I came to see the condition of the critically ill patient. It was a miracle that I survived. If you wake up, I have something to tell you.”

Sigh, Lacey sat down on the chair next to her.

The star tag hanging around my neck shakes.

The face was still expressionless, strangely enough.

Wasn’t he definitely a more benevolent character in the original…?

It is only when fighting that he shows no hesitation like a combat priest, but in normal times, ‘other races also need a helping hand.’ It was someone who said the same line.

Suddenly a bitter smile came out.

Speaking of the original, I decided not to believe in that kind of thing anymore.

This is the result of what I believed.

…By the way, I have something to tell you.

I don’t know what it is, but if I see him sitting on a chair, it seems like the story will be long.

I cleared my throat slightly and cleared my throat. So that we can talk properly.

“Intensive care patient. Was my physical condition really that serious?”

“It was a corpse.”

uh…?

An answer came back that was more decisive and disconcerting than expected.

I looked at her blankly with my mouth open.

“To be exact, it was about 90% corpse. Cutting and penetrating wounds all over the body. The face and lungs were burned, and the spleen and pancreas were completely ruptured. Almost all of the muscles were torn and there was bleeding, not to mention. To the point where I don’t understand how he was able to move with that body.”

Certainly, as the saying goes, it is an injury that should not survive, let alone fight.

When fighting, his body moved as if he were possessed, but it was natural for him to fall in the middle and die.

Even in my opinion, it was something close to a miracle.

Not a technique used by priests, but a literal miracle from God.

“Still, the trauma itself was somehow healed, perhaps thanks to the pouring of all kinds of healing techniques by dozens of priests, including me.”

“Those injuries have healed? Is that possible?”

“Okay. Because he should have died originally. It must be Amael Pinel’s care. The reason is… I don’t know. ”

Lacey stroked Seongpyo. The golden cross sparkled under the lights on the ceiling.

It’s Elfinel’s care.

The words of Lana who treated me flashed through my mind. Did you say it was Shaulithe’s grace?

Elfinel’s care, Shaulithe’s grace.

And…Bölberg’s guidance.

For some reason, I kept feeling connected to the names of the gods.

“Then, why doesn’t the body move…? I have no sense. You said you were healed?”

It was frustrating because no matter how hard I tried, I could only move my neck.

There was almost no feeling down there.

“That’s because only the superficial wounds have barely healed. The energy that was lost to the bottom has not returned, so it is natural.”

“Energy?”

“Can we call it life force? It is an intangible force that keeps people alive. Regardless of the injuries on your body, you had used it all up.”

Come to think of it, Millia said that too.

I said I used too much energy.

Didn’t it simply mean that the body was exhausted from working too hard?

“Originally, even if he had been treated, he would have died not long after. Like an old man whose lifespan has ended.”

Uh…I read a similar word in a book before…

okay. Was it Jin Won-jin-gi?

This is a world without inner strength, but did such a concept even exist?

“That’s why I came to check on you, and fortunately, my energy is gradually filling up. What a strong life, as if…”

Lacey trailed off, then cleared her throat.

As if I was trying to blurt out something I shouldn’t have said.

“Anyway, it will continue to be like that for a while. Sensation will gradually return, but it will take about a month to move properly.”

“A month…is too long.”

“It’s rather short. I almost lay in a coffin for the rest of my life.”

If you say it that way, it’s not wrong.

“I recommend that you take it easy and not overdo it and make it worse. It’ll probably get very busy in a month.”

“Getting busy?”

“Yes. You said earlier that you had something to tell you, right? That’s the story. I have three letters addressed to you.”

Lacey took out three envelopes stamped with wax and showed them to me.

One is decorated with gorgeous gold leaf.

The other two had simple seals stamped on rough paper.

“The letter, who did it come from?”

“One in Landenburg and one in Faelun. And this is an invitation from the imperial family.”

“The imperial family, oh my.”

“Because rumors about you have spread everywhere about this incident. Even the imperial family would be interested and call for it, right?”

It’s a rumor. Come to think of it, I think Millia also had something to do with the rumors.

What is it about? I hope it doesn’t say things like savior or hero.

Because I didn’t deserve that kind of praise.

“What kind of rumor is it? Can you tell me?”

“Um…”

Lacey was troubled.

No, what on earth is it about that causes such a reaction?

“Probably three things. Good rumors, bad rumors, even strange rumors.”

“…Three of them?”

“Yes. First of all, good news is about your performance. There is a rumor that a young female knight with a blue sword defeated most of the beastmen and saved dozens of academy students. They say there must be a new master in the empire.”

I did save dozens… Instead, 20,000 people died. because of me.

No, because of the prisoner.

Yes, it’s because of the beasts. Let’s think of it that way.

If there were no beastmen in this world in the first place, something like that wouldn’t have happened.

The problem is the prisoners who choose slaughter over harmony and peace.

If it weren’t for them, I would…

I rationalize myself again. It had to be that way.

I stopped thinking about going in a negative direction.

Is it because of the passage of time or the peaceful air in the hospital room?

At least the emotional agitation I felt at that time had subsided a lot.

okay. One day it will become nothing. Just as any nightmare fades from memory over time.

I just have to do what I have to do. What I have to do.

…is this what I should have done?

It was definitely something only I could do. But, was it this desperate from the beginning?

Questions lead to doubts.

I want to save people.

That much was certain.

It’s just…the reason was a little hazy.

What was the reason?

Was it because of the screams of people massacred under my orders?

Was it because of the eyes of the enslaved woman?

Because every time I dream, they’re staring at me in a nightmare?

no. That’s not it.

There might be a reason for that. Obviously that wasn’t the only thing.

If so, is it because of the difficulty level? Because as more people died, the difficulty level of the original game increased?

Are you afraid that the world will really fall apart?

This too is a little strange.

It’s a reasonable reason, but is it really because of this?

It was a strange thing.

A mindset where there is a result but no process, as if it was cut out in the middle.

For what reason?

“…Princess Aishangior?”

Lacey spoke cautiously, as if puzzled.

The person who asked me to tell the rumor had his eyes closed with a serious expression. You might think that’s strange.

Erase the thoughts in your head.

Okay, what does the reason have to do with it? I can, and I must.

If we don’t do it anyway, we’ll all die.

“Ah, yes. I thought about something else for a moment. Keep talking. What are the bad rumors?”

Let’s continue the story.

“The bad rumor is that the person responsible for that activity was the Spear of Kahar, no. It’s about Kahar’s evil woman. Rumors say it’s just a fight for territory between animals, that there must be some ulterior motive, etc. ”

Well, I was expecting that kind of reaction.

Even I would have doubted it. In fact, it was a more benign rumor than expected.

The good news was more burdensome, as if a lump of lead had been placed on top of it.

“…What’s the strange rumor?”

“There is a rumor that a monster made of blood and intestines appeared in the islands and ate the beasts. Does this sound like your story too?”

“……”

I had nothing to say.