Chapter 53
Chapter 53 - Their Ending
"Aaagh! Uwaaagh!"
I woke up screaming.
Then I caught my breath after waking from the horrifying nightmare.
"Huff... huff..."
I had an incredible dream.
I was summoned to another world as a hero, became a strange body that couldn't die, and fought the Undead King while holding hands with a half-witted silver-haired Demon King.
Though waking up to find it wasn't a dream was more nightmarish.
"The, the past life!"
I suddenly realized something and got up from the bed. I immediately searched through my backpack and took out the Box of the Dead.
"...Ah."
But the Box of the Dead was empty.
It didn't emit light, nor did any notification window appear.
I tried activating Izanami's Heart just in case, but still no light came out.
'Well, at least I don't seem to be dead.'
I carefully recalled my memories.
I clearly remember defeating the Margrave and destroying the Eldritch's Life Vessel. So I didn't die and go back in time.
Then why did I lose consciousness afterwards?
I remember not having any visible injuries thanks to the Water Ether.
"Ah. You're awake!"
"Oh. Hero. Finally awake."
As I was lost in thought, the door opened and two people approached me with bright expressions.
It was Seolbaek and the Demon King. Seolbaek immediately grabbed my hands and spoke with tears.
"Thank goodness, Jeong-Yong nim. Really... really! I thought you were going to... Huuuk!"
Seolbaek buried her face in my hands and started sobbing.
Why is she overreacting again? I removed her face from my hands and stroked her head to comfort her.
"Who's dying? You worry too much. I couldn't die even if I wanted to."
After saying it out loud, I gave a bitter smile as it felt somewhat sad.
But despite my nonchalant response, Seolbaek shook her head firmly.
"But... but! It was a serious case of exhaustion! Jeong-yong nim, do you know you slept for three whole days?"
"What? Three days?!"
I was shocked.
You mean three whole days have passed since I collapsed?
When I stared at the Demon King in bewilderment, she calmly nodded in confirmation.
"You slept for three days straight. I was bored to death because of it."
"How could that be...."
It felt like I just took a quick nap for half a day.
As I scratched my head in confusion, Seolbaek spoke with a worried face.
"Your body was under lethal levels of strain. That's why you collapsed from exhaustion. What exactly did you do? I heard you fought with Margrave nim."
"Ah... that. So that's why."
I held my forehead and nodded.
Must be from absorbing three Ether simultaneously. [TL/N: 👀]
Even I thought it was dangerous when my physical abilities increased so dramatically, I didn't expect such serious aftereffects.
I'll have to be more careful with consumption in the future.
"...My condition aside."
I raised my upper body and got up from the bed. Although I felt extreme dizziness, it didn't hinder my movement.
Seolbaek was startled when she saw me suddenly try to move and tried to stop me.
"But, but you just woke up! You should rest!"
"No. I'm fine. More importantly...."
My physical condition isn't what's important right now.
After I killed Eldritch, what happened next?
Did all the undead disappear? Is the curse over? I need to know that.
Having experienced so many revivals, I couldn't be certain without seeing it with my own eyes.
"Jeong-Yong nim. Everything ended well. So first you should rest..."
"I know. But I need to see it myself."
"Oh, really..."
I opened the door and strode down the corridor. Outside it was bright noon. Though it was still cold due to the snow-mixed winter wind.
Seolbaek followed me with a worried look, while the Demon King just followed indifferently.
'The corridor is... clean.'
I noticed it while heading to the audience hall.
The corridor was unusually clean. The rugs that were scattered like rags were replaced with new ones, and the gloomy paintings that hung on the walls were removed.
The blood that had stained the entire corridor like scars was wiped clean, and there wasn't much dust either.
"Ah."
"Oh."
And then, I made eye contact with Leila who was cleaning the corridor.
There was a moment of silence, then Leila strode towards me.
What? Why is she coming this way?
Having been severely beaten before, I automatically shrank back as she approached.
Leila suddenly bowed deeply before me.
"Hm?"
Until then, I thought she might be up to some trick.
That was until the words of gratitude started pouring out.
"...Thank you. Junior."
"Uh, what?"
"It was true. That you killed Eldritch."
"Ah."
I let out a dumb exclamation.
On Leila's face was a peaceful energy I had never seen before.
"All the undead disappeared. The curse... Halcenberg's curse is over. Even if brief... peace has finally come to this castle."
Leila raised her head and looked at me.
Instead of the hatred and contempt that showed through even when hidden before, her gaze now held respect.
From Leila's 180-degree change in attitude, I could finally feel it.
'It really is over.'
I really did kill Eldritch.
I clenched my fist, and before me, Leila showed a bright smile.
It was such a pure and bright smile that I was dumbfounded.
"At first it was Gwyn. And now you... I think I may have somewhat misunderstood the breed called heroes."
Leila spun the broom she was using to sweep the floor. The tip of Leila's broom pointed at me.
Isn't that the one with a hidden blade? I unwittingly shrank back.
She said,
"You're just people too. Just the same people as us."
"......"
"Now I understand. Why the master didn't resent you all."
Though I said nothing, Leila seemed to understand on her own and nodded. Then she resumed cleaning the hallway she had paused.
I stared at Leila for a moment before blurting out.
"How is Gwyn's condition?"
Immediately after, I regretted saying it.
Because a shallow shadow fell across Leila's smiling face.
"Well, same as always. Because Gwyn wasn't an undead, just went insane."
"... I see."
This leaves a bitter aftertaste. Maybe I shouldn't have asked.
So while the castle's troubles have been resolved, Leila's misfortune is still ongoing.
As I clicked my tongue and scratched my head, Leila soon looked at me again with a bright expression.
"It's okay. Even this castle where we thought there was no way... peace has come like this. Surely someday, Gwyn will come back to his senses too."
Speaking thus, Leila's face held clear conviction instead of emptiness.
Seeing her bright smile made me feel good too.
'Well. There's nothing I can do anyway. It's a problem they have to overcome themselves.'
When I nodded in affirmation, Leila slightly nodded and pointed to the end of the audience hall corridor.
"The master has been anxiously waiting for junior to wake up. Please hurry to the audience hall."
"Ah... right."
"Well then. I need to finish cleaning."
Leila sincerely bowed her head to me before resuming her cleaning.
Her face showed no dark shadows like before as she wiped dust from the window frames.
"Ah. Come to think of it."
Leila, who had been running, suddenly stopped. And she bowed her head once more.
This time it was towards Seolbaek, not me.
"I don't expect forgiveness. But I wanted to say I'm sorry."
"Ah...."
"If you want revenge, follow me now. I'll guide you to the torture chamber."
"T-torture?!"
"If you want to kill me, just say so. I'll take you to the execution ground."
"......"
Leila walked back down the corridor. Though her words were harsh, her face remained serene.
I glanced aside. Looking at Seolbaek, her expression was truly complex.
As I walked toward the audience hall, I blurted out.
"Are you going to take revenge? I can wait a bit."
"...... I'm not, sure."
Seolbaek shook her head. Then looked at me steadily with wavering eyes.
"What do you think you would do, Sir Hero?"
"If it were me, I'd half kill them and ride them naked instead of a horse."
"Heek...!"
"Free mount, sweet."
Of course, forgiveness doesn't exist in my dictionary.
The reason I'm not taking revenge on Leila for what she did to me in my past life is simply because it all became 'things that never happened'.
'Well, from my perspective it's infuriatingly unfair...'
But what can I do about facts being what they are.
In this life, she truly bears no sin against me. So there's no justification for revenge either.
Taking revenge out of spite would risk souring relations with the Border Duke too much.
"I have no stake here. Just like Lucy."
When I spoke so firmly, Lucy mocked as if fed up.
I responded by pulling the Demon King's cheeks.
"Agyagyagyek! Let go! You disrespectful hero nobody!"
"Shall we have three days' worth of backed up talk in the Room of Truth? Hmm?"
"Ah, ahi... th-that's...!"
As I childishly bickered with the Demon King.
Seolbaek smiled faintly beside us. And nodded while saying.
"Indeed, I'll give up."
"... You sure?"
"Revenge only breeds revenge. Breaking the chain of hatred isn't something anyone can do. Since I've been summoned to this world as a hero for once, I want to do something befitting a hero."
Seolbaek's face as they said this was filled with serenity.
They're like a living Jijang Bosal. It's a mindset impossible for a petty person like me. I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. [TL/N: One of the Buddhist deity]
Anyway it's good for me. It means less time I have to stay here.
"Then let's go. Once the talk with the Border Duke is done, we'll leave this place right away."
"Yes. Finally... we're leaving."
"Right. It's about time to escape from this insufferable castle."
The quest completion is right ahead.
I hurried my steps toward the audience hall where the Border Duke would be, to pay my final respects.
But soon my steps halted.
"Ah."
I remembered something I'd forgotten in the chaos. After letting out an exclamation, I carefully approached the Demon King.
Lucy raised her gaze suddenly when I approached, while rubbing her reddened cheeks.
"... What?"
I didn't bother answering.
Instead, I grabbed her wrist and slowly walked toward Halcenberg Castle's north gate.
"No, what is it, hero! Where are we going!"
"There's somewhere I need to go briefly. Come with me."
And so we headed north out of Halcenberg Castle.
To the snowy plains white with mixed snow and ash. Toward the former stronghold of the vanished undead.