Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The World Without You Is So Fragile - 2
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I dream the same dream every night. Sometimes, I’ve even forced myself to stay up all night because I didn’t want to fall asleep. But if I don’t have that dream, the longing eats away at me, and I end up closing my eyes for even just an hour to head into that dream world. It’s happened more times than I can count.
The reason is simple. Eli appears in that dream.
After tossing and turning for over an hour before finally drifting off, I always see her standing amid the mint flowers. Just like always, her black hair sways gently as she clasps her hands together and gazes at me.
Her face, looking at me just like she always did back home, has a bit of dirt smudged on it. On the spot below her right cheek, or somewhere near her earlobe. It’s definitely a scene I’ve witnessed at some point, which is why it feels so brutally real. That’s why I fall for the illusion and step closer to wipe the dirt from Eli’s face.
And every time, the moment I take that first step, I realize it’s all just a dream.
The instant reality awakens within the dream, the beautiful scenery before my eyes shatters in an instant, and nightmares from the past come pouring down like hail. Right in front of her, smiling so radiantly, I collapse under the beating of reality.
In the end, crushed by the past and slamming my face into the dream’s floor, Eli’s body begins to harden like stone. Just like that day, I watch her petrification process endlessly. And once it’s all over, we end up in exactly reversed positions.
Petrified Eli, and me being violated by the past right in front of her. Only then do I fully understand the pain she endured, and I wail out. I’m sorry, Eli. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
Eli just looks at me like that and repeats a single word.
".. .. ..."
A warm energy shattered the dream’s landscape and pierced between my eyelids. When I opened my eyes, a savory yet unpleasant smell wafted over.
"Did you have a good dream, Mr. Luca?"
Rachel, perched on the windowsill, greeted me cheerfully. It looked like she was just sitting there casually at first glance, but she was blocking the sunlight shining on my face with her body.
She’d dragged my exhausted self to the inn last night, paid for the room and board, and even showed this small consideration. I should’ve thanked her properly, but I didn’t have the leeway and answered in a heavy voice.
"...No."
"That’s a shame. Would you like a cup of coffee, by any chance?"
"I don’t drink coffee."
"You should have something, at least. It’s going to be a tiring day."
"Why’s that?"
"Take a quick look out the window?"
A chill seeped in somehow. Following her words, I raised my body and peered outside the window.
And there, I faced the throng of people surrounding the inn.
It was a scale reminiscent of the massive crowds when we’d entered the capital as heroes. The difference was that they weren’t cheering or shedding tears of emotion. They just waited with weary, fatigued eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of someone.
I desperately hoped that someone wasn’t me, but unfortunately, it seemed highly likely that it was. With a sigh, I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my finger.
"Don’t tell me the professor talked."
"I doubt it. He’s a wise man. It’s just that the rumors spread faster than we thought. The hero who saved the city from the baron’s atrocities is staying at a rundown inn in the back alleys."
"I’m no hero."
"Not realizing your own greatness is one of a hero’s qualities."
Rachel hopped down from the windowsill and stretched.
"Ahh... Anyway, we need to move quickly. More people are gathering. There’s a carriage Professor Heide prepared in front of the inn, so let’s take that."
"Here’s hoping those people let us through easily."
"They will. They know how painful it is to be restrained."
She slung on a fairly heavy-looking backpack and nodded toward me. I glanced at the crowd outside once more and followed her. Then, I pushed open the inn door as nonchalantly as possible.
Bang.
"Ah."
The moment I opened the door, an old woman looked at me and let out a sound that could’ve been admiration or a death rattle. In an instant, everyone’s attention focused here.
"..."
They’d finally laid eyes on the hero they’d waited so long for, but not a single one opened their mouth. With so many people gathered, you’d think at least one would react, but they all kept silent, as if bound by some unspoken rule.
I slowly made my way upstream through the wave created by the silent crowd.
As Rachel and I started walking, they turned their bodies before I even brushed against them, clearing a path toward the carriage. I tried my best not to meet their eyes, but ignoring the gazes of people who’d been desperately waiting for me was harder than I thought.
An old woman whose deep wrinkles were stained with pain. A patient clutching her chest, as if the wounds in her heart ran deeper than her missing eye. A girl who’d matured far too quickly because she’d buried too many in memories. Unlike the vibrant youths who’d welcomed the hero’s party in the capital, those seeing me off were mostly wounded and ill.
In the end, I walked while looking into each of their eyes one by one. A man holding a newborn met my gaze and immediately bowed his head, bursting into tears. He probably wasn’t someone who cried easily in everyday life. Quite the opposite, in fact. Maybe I’d just given him the chance to pour out all the sorrow he’d held back until now.
Suddenly, I felt envious of that man. My heart, hardened like stone, still had no room for tears to leak out. If I ever held Leo’s squishy heart in my hands, could I replace my broken one with his blood?
Would I be able to cry then, too?
As I walked, shaking off my thoughts, the carriage the professor had prepared came into view before I knew it. Thinking it had been an unusually long time, just as I was about to board, an urgent voice called from behind.
"Over there...!"
When I turned, a girl was looking at me. Unlike the taciturn adults, driven by a sense of duty to say something, she bit her lip and finally squeezed out one phrase.
"At least tell us your name."
The girl wanted my name. Even though knowing it wouldn’t do her any good.
"I don’t have one."
I gave a curt reply and climbed into the carriage. The girl didn’t give up until the end, taking one step closer before clasping her hands tightly and opening her mouth.
"...I’ll never forget you."
...
Remembering someone who’ll avenge you is less helpful than gathering memories of the one you lost.
Such thoughts floated in my mind, but I never voiced them. She’d realize it in time, anyway.
Soon, the carriage started moving, and the city’s scenery slowly faded from view. But the people followed me to the end. More like a funeral procession than a send-off, the line continued until the sun set and long shadows clung to the horse’s hooves.
"You could’ve at least told them your name."
It was quite a while after leaving the city before Rachel spoke up regretfully. The carriage was now racing across a wasteland I’d never seen before. I gazed at the passing scenery indifferently and replied.
"I don’t want rumors spreading."
"Being famous is great."
"Not at all. And they shouldn’t know I exist yet."
"They... you mean Archbishop Bobby? And who else?"
"...That’s."
I hesitated a bit before looking at her. Then slowly opened my mouth.
"You’ll need to know if you’re going to keep following me. I came to kill Bobby and Leo. Still want to tag along?"
"Bobby and Leo. Add Rick, and it’s the legendary hero party. Who the hell are you? Why do you want to kill them?"
"Do you need to know that much?"
"Well... not really."
Rachel shrugged and pulled a notebook from her bosom.
"Actually, I’ve gotten requests on those people too. For Bobby... three people put bounties on his head. The peculiar thing is, they were all women."
"Women."
"Two of them were way younger than me but not virgins anymore."
"That trash hasn’t changed a bit."
"Hmm... I thought you’d be shocked, but I guess he’s always been like that."
I know. I saw him pounce on a girl half his age right in front of me.
...
I recalled that thought and shook my head to erase it immediately. Meanwhile, Rachel was frowning as she flipped through her notebook.
"Hmm... But those girls scraped together pocket money just to pay the fee, so they’re hardly significant clients. The real one who commissioned Bobby’s death is this person. Former Ennesic Order priestess Vanessa. Being from the Order, she might have all sorts of info on it."
"She still alive?"
"Who knows. Worth checking out, though. I took the request but figured killing him would be tough, so I half-gave up. Meeting her might yield some good stories."
"And about that black-haired girl too."
"Whaaat... Maybe."
While I wasn’t looking, she’d tried to yawn but met my eyes and hurriedly covered her face with the notebook.
"Anyway, Mr. Luca, you know Bobby went into the Ascension Ritual a year ago and his whereabouts have been unknown since. Something about the Ennesic Goddess recognizing his earthly merits and ascending him to an angel. If he really succeeded and became an angel, killing him won’t be easy."
"He didn’t succeed. He hadn’t earned merits worthy of that."
"Yeah, I think so too. Point is, it’s been ages since he last showed up officially. This is core church secret, so even Vanessa probably doesn’t know."
"Then we ask someone who would."
"Who?"
"..."
Instead of answering, I looked out the window. Among the people I knew, only one might know Bobby’s whereabouts.
And anyway, she’d have to face me eventually.
"What, not telling me again? You talk like I’m the one full of secrets, but you’re the one dripping with them."
I had no intention of denying it, so I kept quiet. Rachel twisted her lips and eyed me from various angles.
"Can’t you at least tell me who you are? Where’s your hometown? How’d you meet that black-haired girl?"
"You’re the one who decided to follow me on your own."
"So?"
"Why don’t you start by telling me about yourself. Moonlight, was it?"
"Please. Call me Rachel."
Rachel shook her head almost in exasperation.
"Fine. Ask about me first then. I’ll answer, and after that, you answer one about you. Deal?"
"Where’d you meet the black-haired girl?"
"Straight to it..."
She squeezed her eyes shut like she was done for.
"Okay, I’ll tell you in detail. I don’t remember exactly, but it was pretty long ago. I met her in a border region bordering demon territory. The security’s unstable there, so lots of requests— I was wandering around looking for decent work that day. Then she caught my eye."
"Why?"
"Well, she was pretty. Not judging by looks or anything, but a pretty girl alone always has a story. I naturally approached and threw my pickup line. Don’t misunderstand— it’s the line I use for commissions. ‘Any worries? Got a grudge? I’ll find anyone you want dead or beaten to a pulp and avenge you.’ That sort of thing. Then she said there was someone she wanted hit just once— could I find them too?"
"..."
"So I said sure. That’s how it happened. Took the request, the advance payment. With just the clue of a guy who smells like mint, I roamed the entire empire. Then figured I needed more leads, so I went back to where I met her, but no matter how thoroughly I searched, nothing."
"...Possibility she went into demon territory?"
"Unlikely. Security’s shaky, but it’s a border, so control into demon lands is super strict. Not a place a lone woman could pass, and if she did, it’d be on the registry."
"You checked the registry?"
"Stole it and did. I’m good at that stuff."
She puffed up her shoulders proudly, but I ignored her and sank into thought. Eli appearing in the borderlands. Commission to find me. Then vanishing without a trace.
How much of this story should I believe?
Logically, it was just far-fetched nonsense from a woman I’d just met. No evidence, just her claims. If anything, the professor’s words were more convincing. Leo would’ve taken Eli’s body and tried to revive her somehow.
But I couldn’t deny that deep down, some part of me wanted to believe her story.
"Alright, my turn now. Mr. Luca..."
"I need to sleep. We’ll arrive by morning."
"...I was wondering when you sleep. Guess now. Got it. See you tomorrow."
Rachel made a slightly pouty face and burrowed into the corner of the carriage. I waited until her breathing evened out, then slowly leaned back.
There were too many uncertainties about Eli. Where the hell did she go, and what’s she doing now?
But one thing was certain. Bobby and Sera were in that city. That much was definite.
...
I glanced at Rachel again. Her curled-up sleeping face was scattered with strands of bright red hair. Moonlight leaking through the carriage window cracks and the red locks scattered beneath it. I pushed back the surging memories with all my might, but a shallow breakwater couldn’t hold off the tidal wave of the past.
In the end, her face rose in my mind. Not the black-haired girl this time, but one with red hair. What’s she doing now? Whenever I recalled home, Lorenheim’s false genius girl always occupied a corner— where was she, and what was she doing?
No matter what she was up to, I had just one wish. Stay alive. Unlike with Nadia, I had way too many words left to say to her.