62. No Shackles (3)
62. No Shackles (3)
- 1 -
A feeling akin to heartburn washed over me.
"Senior, senior...?"
"Keu... eu... euk!"
The fact that the first death of someone affiliated with my dungeon had happened at a completely unpredictable moment, and so meaninglessly at that, truly put me in a foul mood.
"Senior... please. Don't go like this. Okay? I don't want to lose you like this... I don't want to lose anyone else...!"
"Ha... ha. That... is a joyful thing to hear..."
"Right...? So, please...! Get up...!"
Sonia's final plea could no longer reach Leonis.
His hearing was already completely gone.
The reason his hearing—which should have been the last sense to fade as death approached—had been damaged first was simply because I had forcibly prolonged the senses most essential to him right now: 'sight' and 'touch'.
The words he spoke now were merely 'pleasant things' he expected Sonia would say.
"Heo... euk."
"Master. Please save my senior. Please...?"
"Sonia. Please... be happy..."
His upper body had already been half-crushed by the initial attack from behind, and his internal organs had been ruined by the reckless use of magic in that state.
It was already far too late to save Leonis fully.
He was likely in a state where he didn't even properly know what he was saying himself.
'Unless a saintess appears, it's an injury with no way to be revived from.'
With the magical capabilities I possessed, I could only delay his death, not restore his condition completely.
"Sonia."
"Please, please... I... I don't want to lose anyone anymore..."
"Sonia... The one you are pleading with is a Necromancer and a Dungeon Lord. You do know the meaning of that."
"... Master..."
"Even if I were to lay my hands on him, his fate must be decided by himself."
Despite Sonia's plea, I agonized over it.
If he had died shortly after I first met Leonis, I would have recycled him without hesitation.
Back then, to me, he was merely an enemy, and I was short on summoned creatures.
'But not now.'
Although Leonis may have lacked respect for me as a leader, he had faithfully carried out the tasks entrusted to him, and those tasks had become an excellent foundation for building up the dungeon now.
After all, the Elder Gremlins who were renovating my dungeon were praising the magical traps he designed, saying they were 'extremely excellent and would be difficult for an ordinary human or demon mage to see through.'
And so.
'He's someone who has done work deserving of my respect.'
The final end of a person who deserves respect would be decided according to their own wishes, and I would ensure that.
That was one of the philosophies I established as a human who became a monster.
Even if that person was someone I loved.
'I've never experienced it, so I can't be sure how I'd act when such a thing actually hits me...'
Though my body may have become a monster, what reason was there to discard the philosophies I held when I was human?
Unless it was something extremely idealistic, like 'I will not kill a person even if it means both I and the one I love die,' there was no need to suddenly change my previous philosophies radically.
I didn't intend to set them up as beliefs that must be kept at all costs, but I intended to uphold them as much as possible.
- Leonis.
"Yes...?"
Considering his already ruined hearing, I spoke directly to his soul, and his eyes swept around before barely turning toward me.
It was because his sight was gradually dying as well, as the delay granted by magic power was reaching its limit.
- You have three choices.
"Wh... at?"
To Leonis, who expressed his question, I drew the options into his mind by inserting imagery into it.
- Do you give up on being 'human'?
The first method was to be born as a monster.
To be born again with the power and form 'most suited' to him by leaning on the Demon King's power.
Although the human parts of his body would be almost completely lost, and his personality or even his nature might change somewhat depending on the race he was reborn as.
He would be alive, and he would retain his memories.
And as long as one is alive, one can do many things.
- Or do you cling to a sliver of possibility and pray that the future you will reclaim yourself.
The second was to rise again as an Undead.
He would lose many parts of his life, but at least he could maintain his 'humanity' fully. If I used my power.
He would lose a considerable portion of his memories and a great deal of his power, but still, in terms of the 'existence's Fate (Connection) attribute', this choice could actually be considered the most moderate.
- If not that, then do you fade away into nothingness here?
The last one was eternal darkness.
And his grave erected in a sunny spot, with Sonia placing flowers before it with a faint smile.
"..."
After hearing my words and confirming all the visions drawn in his mind, Leonis's gaze immediately turned toward Sonia.
Immediately, even though black stains were probably spreading across his field of vision.
"I... keuheup!"
His choice did not flow out into clear words, but I understood its meaning through the contract.
- It will be done as you wish.
His choice was death.
And at the same time, to have his legacy used 'meaningfully'.
That wish would be granted.
- 2 -
As soon as Leonis died, I froze his body through necromancy.
Regardless of his choice, I couldn't grant his decision right away. To return to the dungeon first and begin the procedures immediately, this was the best course.
Fortunately, there were people to move his body.
"Sonia."
"... Master. Thank you."
At Sonia's words, I merely shook my head.
Because that was Leonis's important choice, not a difficult task for me.
More than that.
"You two return first."
"I'm fine...!"
"You expect me to believe that?"
"..."
I had originally planned to leave Sonia and Maria in this city and head to the auction house, but that option disappeared once I revealed my active presence in the city.
I couldn't leave Sonia or Maria to die either, so it was unavoidable, but that didn't mean I could leave them exposed to the threats of the people who would swarm in afterwards, did it?
They weren't an immediate fighting force either.
In the end, I had no choice but to send the two of them back.
"I would like you to listen to me. I do not wish to lose a cherished subordinate, and then lose my apprentice as well."
"... To Master... was my senior someone you cherished? Truly?"
"Absolutely."
Sonia, who had maintained a moment of silence at my words, looked at me with eyes still full of doubt and asked.
But on that point, I could have no hesitation.
Wasn't there a need even to deliberately strengthen his abilities if I hadn't? The power Leonis possessed right before his death was clearly in a state far more strengthened than when he first met me.
The enemy was simply too strong.
"I cherished him. Sonia."
"... I see..."
If asked whether I cherished him 'as a person', I might have deferred my answer, but if asked whether I cherished the 'subject', I could answer immediately and sincerely that I had cherished him.
As the one who possessed him.
"Maria. Please comfort Sonia well."
"I cannot... tell you not to worry, but I will do my best."
"And..."
I was worried about whether Sonia might have stray thoughts while I was absent, but she had someone with a deep Connection, if not as deep as Leonis, so it would be all right.
"The same goes for you. Maria."
"Pardon?"
"Do not get hurt. Whether you believe it or not, I cherish you as well. Trust in that."
"... Yes."
She had made a strange expression at my word of 'trust', but Maria quickly composed herself and bowed politely.
She had been contributing to the dungeon with sincerity recently. Thanks to that, Daniel had been able to quickly fill in the lost portion of his traits.
Now, as I considered it might be fine to soon lift some of the sanctions placed on her.
I thought it was okay to start giving her trust little by little.
"Please take good care of the two of them. Mire."
- Dalkak.
"Focus on moving safely."
- Tak!
It was a distance that would take a week to return to the dungeon.
To protect the two of them during that time, I bound Mire and a portion of my forces to the shadows of the two people.
Of course, it wasn't that they would necessarily obey the orders of the two; rather, they were set to act on their own judgment whenever the two were in danger.
It was something I hadn't done until now because I thought separating my forces externally was dangerous, but now I had learned that unavoidable danger could come at any time.
Not knowing is not a sin, but negligence while knowing is a sin. In that sense, it could be seen that my sin was mixed into this incident as well.
As much as that, revenge must also be carried out properly.
"..."
- ...
Shue and Eve still seemed dissatisfied with this matter, about me reducing my own safety to ensure the safety of my subordinates...
But in the end, when I did not bend my will, they decided to follow it.
"Then. Head out first."
"Master."
"Hmm?"
"... Nevermind. Please stay healthy on your journey."
"Alright. Thank you."
As I placed my hand on the head of Sonia, who was now starting to grow taller than me, and stroked it, she held my hand with both of hers and shed tears once again.
It was probably because she hadn't yet escaped the sorrow of losing Leonis.
"You will do well. Sonia."
Opening my mouth had been impulsive, but I did not regret it.
The thing contained in Sonia's two eyes as she looked at me.
That was clearly hope.
Leonis's love had not been requited, but the strength he breathed into her would surely serve as good nourishment.
"Do you think so? ... And is it right that I do?"
"He wished for it too. You will definitely be able to become happy. I don't know if you'll believe it just because I say it, or if that's the right thing for you."
"... No. I believe it. And I know that an individual's happiness shouldn't be universally defined."
"..."
What she said was something I deeply empathized with.
An individual's happiness cannot be universally defined.
General human happiness surely includes 'harmony with family', but even when I was on Earth, as I sought my own personal happiness, there was no one beside me except a few company colleagues and friends.
Even without family by my side like that, I was confident that I could have lived happily until my death.
Most problems that arise in the world are solved with money, and at that time, I had already earned plenty of money.
That was why I was so disheartened when I lost it. Because I regarded that wealth as proof of my happiness.
"Why...?"
"It's nothing."
Now... well. I'm not sure.
But I think I would probably agree with this.
The fact that it certainly holds a large share as an ingredient of happiness, but it's not everything.
- Geureureung...
- Dalkak!
Even amidst this, when I saw Shue being so happy from my stroking touch, or Eve's jealousy at it.
"That's a good saying."
"Pardon?"
"That happiness cannot be universally defined. I hope your happiness comes to you soon. As your master."
"... You too, Master."
"Yes. Let us meet again later."
And so, I sent the two women back 'home' first.
"Let's go."
There was one more thing I now had to do here.
That was to resolve the 'grudge'.
... In the end, I would have to obtain a house to serve as a base here next time.