〈 Chapter 279: The Undying Man (5) 〉
*
As the sun set beyond the horizon, the darkness began to settle at the beginning of the night. Karioth stepped out of the Holy Grail, not flung out but walking on his own.
From just that, many conclusions could be drawn.
He had crossed the walls, passed the trials, and ultimately reached the realm of the superhuman after facing the challenge.
Having emerged from the platinum well, Karioth brushed his sweat-soaked hair back and smiled refreshingly. It was a look of someone who had resolved a long-lasting worry; as if he had set down a heavy burden.
With a more relaxed expression, Karioth opened his mouth.
“I just had a huge fight with my wife.”
*
Rania blinked.
A fight with his wife during the trials? Since Karioth hadn’t shared what he encountered in the trial, it was difficult for Rania to understand his words.
“If it’s your wife, isn’t she a high priestess? Didn’t she get caught up in some disgraceful incident and become a martyr…?”
“That’s how it’s known.”
Karioth smiled bitterly.
“My wife is so famous and devout as a priestess in the church… The church wrapped up her death nicely. I suppose the First Saint is aware of it?”
“I know about Priestess Is.”
Sara spoke with a face as if she had chewed a bug.
“Because of that influence, she’s known as a martyr, but wasn’t she really judged as a heretic? Specifically, by you, Karioth.”
“That’s right. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that my wife died for me rather than I killed her.”
Rania, who had been quietly eavesdropping, stroked her chin. Saintess Is. She felt she had heard that name somewhere.
“Oh.”
Rania let out a short sigh.
“…The Crazy Fire Witch?”
The moment she murmured that, Karioth’s expression hardened. Rania quickly covered her mouth, but there was no picking up the words once spoken.
The Crazy Fire Witch.
Rania was aware of the incident associated with her.
It was an event that occurred over a decade ago, before she started her active years. Known as the subjugation of the Crazy Fire Witch. What had become of it in the end?
‘I heard two superhumans and a hero were dispatched, and ended with one superhuman dead…’
It wouldn’t be until later, when she would be called the Wise One, that Rania would have access to detailed information related to the Crazy Fire Witch.
The mad priestess, Is.
She was the third superhuman born in the history of the Deloheim Church, and the worst superhuman. A figure who rose to superhuman status out of hatred and madness towards the stars.
‘But that person…’
Rania glanced at Karioth.
Karioth replied with a bitter smile.
“The Crazy Fire Witch, she was indeed called that. I participated in that subjugation too. Ultimately, it was me who pierced my wife’s heart.”
He fiddled with the cross greatsword on his back.
“That was when I first faced the wall. My wife was incredibly fiery, as one would expect.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah, she was originally a priestess who wouldn’t pale in comparison to the pope when it came to piety… But once she cracked, it was really unbelievable. She turned an entire city into a hellfire.”
A light voice, an easygoing tone.
Yet, the expression on Karioth’s face when he said that was stiff.
“She couldn’t bear it. The fact that those children died, that the God didn’t answer their prayers, that no salvation came. She couldn’t seem to take it.”
A priestess who prayed to God became a superhuman by denying God’s existence. Even though she had just become a superhuman, not even a seasoned one could obstruct her path.
Ultimately, countless humans burned to death by her hand. In the middle of a city turned to ashes, she met her end with the derogatory title of a witch.
“I regretted it. A lot.”
Karioth let out a short breath.
“If I had stopped her sooner, if I had been stronger back then, if I had been able to keep my promise with her… I’ve always regretted it.”
Karioth clenched the cross that hung around his neck.
“Where is God’s will? That was the question she tossed to me. It’s the task I must prove.”
At the last moment, as her heart was pierced, it was the question she had thrown to Karioth. After a journey of several years, Karioth had long since found the answer.
‘God’s will lies with me.’
God resides in all my actions.
What I believe to be right is, in fact, God’s will.
However, that remains an unproven answer.
If it’s just words, it holds no value.
Principles must be proven through actions, not words. To prove his own life as the answer, Karioth looked to the superhuman realm.
Tap.
Karioth smiled, gripping the cross tightly.
“Now I can prove it.”
2.
Before leaving Kateron Castle and returning to his battlefield, Karioth called Galahal separately. The place where Galahal arrived upon being summoned was a field situated on the path to the north.
A place where a cool breeze blew.
There, Karioth was waiting, shouldering a coffin.
“I heard from Heinkel.”
“…Pardon?”
“I heard that the hero is retiring. I also heard I need to fill in for him for a while.”
“Is that so?”
Galahal fell silent.
His expression wasn’t comfortable. Galahal found it quite distressing to face those who had heard the news of his retirement. Even if they might not ask, there was only one question on their minds.
“Is there a reason for your retirement?”
That was the very question.
Galahal wasn’t good at lying. Struggling with how to get around it, what Galahal ultimately decided was to completely evade the answer.
Do I have to do that again? While worrying, Karioth’s bitter chuckle echoed in Galahal’s ears.
“That’s not a question I’m interested in. It shows clearly on your face.”
“…What do you mean it shows clearly?”
“If you hang around in the Phantom Territory for long, you’ll meet a lot of people. Among them, quite a few are those who won’t live for long due to being addicted to magic.”
Galahal flinched, and while he did, Karioth asked a question.
“Hero, do you know what kind of expressions those guys make?”
“I’m not sure…”
“It’s one of two things. Either they walk around with defeated looks in their eyes, or they walk with determination, trying to achieve something with the time they have left.”
So, Hero, Karioth said.
“What do you think you are?”
“…”
“I think you’re in the latter category.”
After a silence, Galahal opened his mouth.
“Honestly, I’m unsure.”
“You’re unsure?”
“I’ve been thinking about what to do in the remaining time, what I can do… but I can’t find an answer.”
“Is that so?”
Hmmm, Karioth nodded.
“How much time is left?”
The fact was already evident.
Galahal thought for a moment before speaking.
“…Three years.”
“That’s short.”
Karioth sighed.
As he sighed, he lit a cigarette. After taking a puff, Karioth opened his mouth. There was no hint of laughter in his voice.
In a heavy voice, Karioth said.
“Let me ask you something.”
“Yes.”
“Is there something you want to achieve?”
Something to achieve.
“I do.”
“Can I ask what it is?”
Nodding, Galahal replied.
“I wanted to become a perfect hero.”
“A perfect hero… What do you mean by that?”
“A figure like the hero in fairy tales. Someone who stands before everyone, a pillar they can lean on… something like that.”
“I see. That’s a wonderful goal.”
Karioth rubbed the cigarette out on the back of his hand.
Then, turning to Galahal, he bluntly stated.
“I think you’ve already achieved that.”
“…Pardon?”
Karioth pointed at Galahal.
“The most heroic of heroes.”
A title that had never been attached to anyone else.
“If you’re called that, haven’t you already achieved it?”
“…I still think I’m lacking. If someone other than me had received this power, it could have been more…”
“That’s not true.”
Karioth cut him off.
“When Heinkel told me I needed to fill in for your position, what do you think was the first thing that came to my mind?”
Karioth looked at Galahal and smiled bitterly.
“There’s no way I could fill that gap.”
“…”
“It’s not just because you’re a hero. You’re already a symbol, and no one can fill your place.”
Galahal had built up something no small amount.
“You’re already that kind of being, Galahal.”
Having saved countless people and being regarded as a symbol on the battlefield means… that many people recognize the life of Galahal.
“You’ve done what only you can do, and everyone knows that fact. Is there any need to belittle yourself?”
“That’s…”
“It means you can take pride in it a bit more.”
Standing up, Karioth patted Galahal’s shoulder twice.
“Ease up on those shoulders. If you’re too tense, life gets exhausting, young friend.”
While Galahal remained silent, Karioth moved forward. As he brushed past him, Karioth said.
“I might be lacking, but… until the next hero comes along, I’ll try to fill your spot.”
So, he continued.
“During the remaining time, don’t worry and do what you want.”
“What I want, you say?”
“Yeah. What you want. I’m saying to meet some girls and enjoy everything you can.”
Karioth turned back and grinned mischievously.
“Oh, and don’t get married. Marriage is the grave of life. Don’t live like I do, tied down, but live freely, young man.”
Galahal smiled sadly.
“Is it advice from experience?”
“In a way.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
3.
Eastern Front, Harprion.
After the incident settled, Rania arrived in Harprion to pick up Chloe and immediately sought out Destel. She had something to discuss with him.
“I heard the story. You were attacked by Kuntel and the Carapace Dragon, right?”
“It was not Kuntel; it was the undead.”
“…That’s true. Saying it that way would be an insult to Kuntel.”
In the office, Destel awaited her.
Beside him were scattered pieces of paper that appeared to be letters, each bearing a different emblem.
Pointing at it, Rania asked.
“What is all this?”
“Those are letters from the places that were attacked along with Kateron Castle by the apostate’s minions. Since I couldn’t learn everything from the report, I sent those letters to gather information.”
Destel sighed.
“Last time, you asked me? What I thought the purpose of this attack was.”
“Yeah.”
On the day of the attack by Kuntel, the first thing Rania checked after waking up was Chloe’s well-being. Fortunately, nothing had happened in Harprion.
“Is there any detailed information?”
At that time, they exchanged a few words through a letter, and Destel mentioned he would investigate separately. Today, she came to hear that answer.
“Have you found anything?”
“Not yet. It’s still in the investigation phase.”
Destel leaned his chin on his hand, casting a glance at Rania.
“How much do you know about the apostate?”
“I know she’s a madwoman.”
Though she knew more, it was not information she could disclose to Destel, so Rania kept her mouth shut. In reality, apart from that, she didn’t know much about the current apostate.
‘All I know is the past.’
She was the First Saint, and had a fixation on the ashen one reminiscent of Cardi van Armiel. What Rania knew was mainly related to the apostate’s past.
What about the current apostate?
The apostate Rania had faced was merely a crazed being in human form. Someone whose inner thoughts were unreadable and who had unknown aspirations.
“She is indeed a madwoman. Frankly, it’s the only way to describe such a disaster.”
Destel sighed.
“Even after collecting activity records of the apostate over the past few centuries, it’s the same. Their existence is a mystery, and we cannot discern their motives.”
But, Destel tapped the table.
“However, it’s not a calamity moving aimlessly out of madness. It’s different compared to the Black Dragon.”
Destel had faced the apostate on several occasions.
Having her captured and exchanging a few words, Destel stated flatly.
“There is a purpose, and they move with an aim. It’s just that the process is incomprehensible… the apostate has always operated with some objective in mind.”
“…So?”
“Since you contacted me right after the attack, it means you have a certain guess about that purpose, right?”
Destel opened his mouth.
“Chloe.”
The girl resembling the apostate.
“During the operation to repel the apostate in the evening city, I found the confidential information bundled with it… the name Chloe came up. Apparently, that was a rescue operation?”
Rania sighed as she sat on a chair.
“That’s correct. It’s true that the apostate is targeting her and is obsessed with her.”
“The reason?”
“Do you think I’d know if I did?”
Even if the apostate had some purpose, there’s no way to determine what it might be. Rania recalled the words she had heard from the apostate that day.
“I needed a child like me… and yet that too failed.”
The last chance, and a child resembling herself.
What that meant remained unclear. After some silence, Destel spoke up.
“Then, why didn’t she target only the east?”
“…That’s the mystery.”
While targeting Chloe, the apostate didn’t actually touch the East. Had the apostate herself intervened… No, it would’ve been possible to capture Chloe just by unleashing her minions. Yet, the apostate did not do so.
What on earth was the reason?
“We are conducting investigations, but it seems unlikely we will come up with anything meaningful. It might be best just to return to the royal capital soon.”
Destel sighed and looked at the map.
The six points marked with red circles were all locations attacked on the day Kateron Castle fell.
“Deltaon Castle, Karmat Gorge, Hatel Plains, Onpelstein temporary base, Kimelt base.”
Including Kateron Castle, six bases were attacked. Yet, the apostate did not appear at any of those locations. Only the Carapace Dragon had left the battlefield in shambles.
There was no common point among the six locations.
Attempting to connect them produced no discernible pattern. Even for Rania, who carried all the circuits in her head, it was clear that it was not some magical pattern.
“…What in the world is this?”
“I’ll need to keep investigating, but I doubt anything significant will come of it. It seems wiser to return to the royal capital sooner rather than later.”
Destel sighed again, gazing at the map.
Six long red dots.
It was a shape that wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.
*
“Skebal.”
『What is it?』
“You once studied the stars, didn’t you? You claimed that the way to get close to the truth was to read the flow of the stars? That’s how I remember it.”
『That was a long time ago. A folly of a time when I was a foolish human. I wasted time on pointless endeavors back then, reading the flow of the stars being one of them…』
“You’re talking too much.”
『…』
“Can you still read them?”
『I can read them. I still possess the knowledge.』
“Can you read accurately? You know, date and time?”
『…What exactly do you want from me?』
“Here.”
『…You want me to predict the day this star will rise in the sky, don’t you?』
“I did some rough calculations, but I can’t be sure if it’s accurate. Wouldn’t it be possible for you?”
『It’s not a difficult task.』
······.
···.
············.
“Oh, and Skebal.”
『What is it now?』
“The saying from your past, that there is truth in the flow of stars, isn’t wrong.”
『Not wrong, you say?』
“In the Church, they say thirty-seven is a perfect number. But that’s a slight misinterpretation. Three and seven are the perfect numbers. Perhaps that’s why.”
The woman abandoned by the stars smiled.
“Six is the most unstable number that is on the brink of completion. The time just before it becomes seven is the most shaky.”
The woman who once heard the voice of the stars.
A priestess who knows more about the stars than anyone else.
“So, you can slip in.”
Apostate (????), Gletus.
The First Saint smiled as she gazed at the stars.
*
