Less Regret in Death
Evan turned to look at Locke, caught off guard by the broad, unexpected question.
“If you’re doubting my identity at this point, I’d have to suspect you of dementia.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you’re Abaddon’s Devil. The black flames and the fact that you haven’t shown the slightest fatigue even after crossing the boundary make that obvious.”
Locke gazed down at the bundle of wildflowers he had brought. The blossoms, untouched by any spells or special treatments, had begun to wither the instant they crossed the boundary. In less than thirty minutes, the leaves had dried out completely. Both petals and foliage had turned a sickly brown, looking as if they would crumble into dust and scatter at the slightest breeze. It was clear proof that this land held no kindness toward living things.
“Even I, protected by the Holy Spear’s divinity, can feel myself tiring faster than usual. Yet you seem even more energetic since stepping into Abaddon.”
Locke asked, suspicion thick in his voice.
“That’s why I’m asking. What exactly are you? Is that appearance truly yours?”
There was no real obligation to answer, but Evan decided the timing was convenient.
After all, this was something that needed to be addressed before he faced Natalia.
“I am human.”
“What a ridiculous lie.”
“Why do you think it’s a lie? I’m walking around right now in the form of a human.”
“It must be so the Empire’s hero won’t discover your true identity. Or perhaps you’re mocking me.”
Instead of bothering to prove his humanity to Locke, Evan posed a question of his own.
“What reason is there for an undead to not be human?”
“Don’t spout nonsense! Do you really think a monster that attacks and devours people can be called human?”
“A monster that attacks and devours people… Well, humans kill and fight each other far more viciously. The only difference is that they don’t eat the corpses.”
“…That and this are different. Don’t lump me in with those creatures that attack people from pure instinct, without reason.”
“And if they don’t?”
Locke faltered, as if he had never once considered the idea of an undead that did not attack humans. Still, he stubbornly denied it.
“Even so, a moving corpse cannot be human. We cannot call a pile of bones, a mass of rotting flesh, or a ghost without a body human.”
“If the issue is the body, then let me ask you this. In my mansion, there is a special undead. She eats, sleeps, breathes, and her heart beats. She has warm body temperature and a body no different from when she was alive. Is that undead human?”
“…A being that has already died and come back to life cannot be human.”
Evan had expected that answer as well, so he continued without pause.
“There is also a special lich in my mansion. That one did not revive as an undead after death. He bound his soul to his heart through magic and keeps only the heart preserved to continue living. By classification he is undead, yet in truth that lich has never died even once. So, is that lich human?”
“……That’s—”
“Out of excuses? Then let’s try another topic. Hero, you know about the elves, the fairies, yes?”
Locke’s eyes trembled with confusion, but he answered.
“A race that resembles humans but possesses infinite lifespan. They are said to have already gone extinct…”
“Why are they called a ‘different race’?”
Evan pointed out the term as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“They resemble humans, have never died, and can even reproduce with humans. Moreover, their children are always born as the other parent’s race. For what reason do we separate them from humans and call them a different race?”
“An existence that lives forever… cannot be called human…”
Locke’s voice shook helplessly, as though even he could not fully believe his own words.
“Then, by your definition, a human must possess an ordinary human body, must never experience death, and must have a lifespan between the human average of sixty to one hundred years?”
“……”
“How narrow-minded.”
Locke bit his lip.
“Why are you saying all this? In the end, are you trying to convince me that undead are also a kind of human, and that you yourself are human?”
Evan let out a small chuckle.
“I never once said I was undead.”
“……What?”
“My father and mother would probably fall into the category of ordinary humans as you define them. This appearance is the natural result of growing up without any manipulation. I have never died, and if left alone, I will grow old and die in seventy or eighty years.”
But even as he said that, Evan pointed toward the Black Sun that illuminated Abaddon.
“I raised that. And ever since, you people have called me devil, monster, and the like. I think those titles are correct as well.”
Evan did not deny the things he had done. He had never actively killed first, but he had never shown mercy to those who came to kill him. On the contrary, after raising the Black Sun, the undead had grown stronger, so he would even admit to indirectly condoning or encouraging murder. He could have forbidden the undead from killing people, but he had not. That was why, even though he found the title Abaddon’s Devil unpleasant, he neither denied nor grew angry at it. He was fully aware that what he had done was enough to warrant being called a devil by someone.
“…So you are human, yet you live considering yourself a monster? What is your standard for distinguishing between human and monster?”
“Who knows. I’m not sure that answer holds any meaning. I simply showed you how shallow and inconsistent your standards are.”
Since Evan had no intention of forcing his own criteria on others, he did not elaborate further. Instead, he offered sincere advice.
“Hero of the Spear, make your standards clear. Rather than judging the world according to the narrow views set by others, it would be better to establish criteria by which you can judge the world yourself.”
That way, even in death, you’ll have less regret.
“Jiangshi sister.”
“Yes, Lady Iris.”
“When is Evan-Evan coming?”
Iris sat perched on the very edge of the mansion’s roof, swinging her legs as if she were bored to death.
“…He should be back soon. So, Lady Iris, wouldn’t it be better if you came down now?”
Kaede stood directly below, ready to catch her should Iris fall. She knew that falling from a mere two-story roof would not injure her, but she was preparing for the ‘what if.’
Lady Iris is human, after all.
“When is ‘soon’?”
“Probably before lunch.”
At Kaede’s reply, Iris puffed out her cheeks and looked down with a pout.
“Can’t I go look for him?”
“We might miss each other on the way, so it would be better to wait a little longer.”
“But it’s taking too long.”
This same conversation had already repeated more than three times since morning. Still, they could not let Iris run out of the mansion, and physically stopping her was impossible, so Kaede had been doing her best to soothe her. Yet she could sense that Iris’s patience was reaching its limit.
The first time she had endured it. The second time she had urged Kaede. By the third time she had declared she would wait and climbed onto the roof. Now she really might dash out of the mansion, so Kaede quickly spoke up before that could happen.
“Master is probably late because he is worrying over what gift to bring Lady Iris.”
Kaede felt a slight pang of guilt for using Evan’s name, but she had no choice but to sell him out.
Master will forgive me.
Between letting her arbitrarily use his name and letting Iris escape the mansion, he would undoubtedly choose the former.
Fortunately the effect was immediate. Iris’s expression melted into a bright, giddy smile. There were a few side effects, however.
“Jiangshi sister, this is my first time! Receiving a present.”
“……Um, is that so? You never received any in the Holy Kingdom?”
“Nope!”
Watching Iris’s face light up with sky-piercing anticipation, Kaede broke into a cold sweat.
“Is there a present Lady Iris would like to receive?”
“Yes!”
“May I ask what it is?”
“A ring!”
“……”
Kaede fought with everything she had to keep her smile from collapsing.
“A ring… I see. Why that…?”
“They said the best present to receive from a man is a ring!”
Kaede had no idea where the information had come from, but whoever had told her that clearly had not imagined this situation.
She tried her best to imagine a hopeful scenario in which Evan brought back a ring as a gift.
The basement is littered with rings. The ones sold at the market are trash both functionally and aesthetically, and they even overcharge you, but for some reason one caught his eye so he bought it. Here, take it.
There’s no way…!
If Iris had ever shown even the slightest interest in accessories like rings before, it might have been different. But her interests had remained consistent the entire time: Evan, and snacks. That was it. Therefore, there was an extremely high chance that what Evan would bring back was some kind of snack.
“Hehe, hmmm~♪”
Watching Iris start humming cheerfully, Kaede doubted such a simple gift would satisfy her.
For now, I need to redirect that expectation somewhere else, even if it means tricking Lady Iris.
“Lady Iris, there is something I must tell you…”
“Ah.”
…One syllable. Just one syllable, yet Kaede felt a chill run down her spine.
Crack. Thud—!
The two of them leaped almost simultaneously. But Iris smashing through the roof and shooting out like a cannonball was slightly faster than Kaede’s jump to block her.
That way, even in death, you’ll have less regret.
Looking down at the lich who had come out after hearing something collapse, Kaede spoke with deadly seriousness.
“Lord Lich.”
[What is it?]
“Do you happen to have any magic that can turn back time?”
[…….]
“Even five minutes—no, just one minute.”