Chapter 137

EP.137 Compassion, Not Forgiveness

The aftermath of the slaughter was eerily quiet.

If it weren’t for the dark red stains stuck here and there in the corridor, I might have dismissed all that had happened until now as just a nightmare.

“Ah, ah… Aah…”

Moans of pain. This unique heart-wrenching resonance, as the drops of life dried up, pulled me in.

Tap tap. How long had those heavy footsteps, soaked with unpleasant regrets, continued?

Before long, I could reach the source of that pale voice.

“Aah… Ah, it hurts… It’s cold…”

The body shattered beyond recognition, utterly fragmented.

Was even her supernatural regeneration finally reaching its limit?

The woman’s upper body barely retained its form, collapsing like a sandcastle before the wind.

Could living on in such a state be a blessing or a curse for her?

After slowly calming my scattered thoughts with controlled breathing, I reverently knelt before the woman, who would soon become a cold corpse.

“Uh, Mom. Dad…”

In that sorrowful melody, there was no longer a trace of her once arrogant, murderous self.

Just a wretched creature trembling at the approach of death.

In her final moments of life, a pitiful image of a beggar, unable to find a place to lean, swirled around hopelessly.

I slowly released the hands I had instinctively drawn together.

A proper clergy member would surely be chanting prayers to guide this sinful soul to the right place.

But my nature wasn’t suited enough to whisper genuine prayers for someone who had mercilessly taken innocent lives multiple times.

Even if she had some unfortunate backstory forcing her into such actions, the choice to become what she was lay squarely on her own shoulders.

The weight of that choice must be borne by her alone.

Thus, for me right now, the best way to mourn was to stand by and watch her soul depart to a place befitting the sins she had committed.

“…”

I hoped she wouldn’t feel too lonely when she closed her eyes.

And that her end wouldn’t appear so shabby as to furrow foreheads when seen by others.

Just that much.

Compassion, not forgiveness.

Surely, even the stingy Creator, who doesn’t guide humans to heaven without a clergy’s prayer, would overlook this much consideration.

“Aah…”

With that fleeting final cry, the light of life completely extinguished from her eyes.

The eyes that were not fully closed were closed by my hand.

It was then.

A chilling unease crept up from her eyelids, making my consciousness stand on edge.

“!”

I hastily pulled my hand back and examined it from various angles.

There didn’t seem to be anything wrong on the surface, but that made me even more anxious.

From experience, such trivial phenomena often acted as foreshadowing for future tragedies binding my neck.

Maybe I did something unnecessary.

Knowing I would regret it later, I couldn’t help but hate my nature for repeatedly making the same mistakes.

“By the way, I wonder how Bigtim and the Sister are doing…”

Now that the immediate issue was resolved, worry rushed in late.

Thanks to the Saintess, I had escaped danger, but I still had no clue if Bigtim and the Sister, who vanished out of nowhere, were safe.

Of course, I wasn’t particularly worried about their safety.

After all, it was Bigtim we were talking about.

Unless he went off to gather a horde of wyverns, the Sister would surely have a single scratch on her.

It was just…

“Bigtim… If he’s left alone with the Sister, he’s likely to feel quite awkward. Will he even be able to say anything…?”

Despite being much improved from before, being left alone with a stunning woman like the Sister would be nothing short of torture for the bashful Bigtim.

I could clearly envision Bigtim at a loss for what to do with every little movement of the Sister.

I need to go save them.

Squish, squish.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, a white crack tore through the air.

There was no other way to describe it.

The air was literally splitting apart.

“What the hell…”

Could there be another danger still lurking?

Instead of fear, I felt the dread ebbing away. Just then, a drop of cold sweat hit the ground.

Crash!

“Priest—!!!”

With a crisp sound of shattering glass, a familiar voice echoed melodiously.

“Cough!”

Bursting through the cracked air, the identity of the intruder, who delivered a blow to my abdomen, was none other than the Hero!

“Priest, are you safe? Are you hurt anywhere?!”

Thanks to you, I just got hurt a bit.

If I had been hit even slightly, I would’ve lost consciousness.

I’ve never been hit by a car, but if I were struck by a truck, I imagine it would feel something like this.

I was lucky to not have flown off to another world.

“Y-You, Hero… I’m okay… cough, cough! I’m fine…”

“Huff! Did you get hit in the stomach? When and by whom? Just tell me! I’ll take care of that wicked scoundrel right now!”

“Hero!”

“Eek!”

I hastily calmed the Hero, who looked ready to blurt out another blunder.

Although I was somewhat concerned about the circumstances under which the Hero suddenly appeared, I had to postpone that trivial curiosity for later.

For now, my priority was to soothe the Hero, who was clearly a ticking bomb.

“Don’t worry. Hero. Look, I’m completely fine.”

“R-Really, really…? You can’t lie… I’ve heard that sometimes people who seem fine can suddenly collapse after sustaining serious injuries… Even a small abrasion might harbor a risk of tetanus. Moreover, depending on the wound…”

“Hero…”

“Uhhh.”

The Hero fiercely hugged me as I slumped down helplessly.

I slowly returned the embrace, then gently patted her trembling back.

“I’m really okay. I barely escaped a big crisis with an assassin before thanks to the Saintess showing up to help.”

“…”

The moment I uttered the name of the Saintess, I felt the Hero’s grip on me tighten just a bit.

But that moment was brief.

“Where is that assassin who attacked the Priest?”

The Hero’s voice turned menacing, as if the surrounding temperature had plunged to freezing.

Had I not just tasted a similar level of murderous intent a moment ago, I would have been sure I couldn’t even breathe right.

“W-Well, it’s fine. That person has already paid the price with death.”

“No. Attempting to harm the Priest is a grievous sin that even a god cannot wash away. If they are already deceased, please tell me where the body is. Right now…”

“B-But! How about you, Hero? Are you hurt anywhere?!”

Feeling the Hero’s demeanor turn deadly, I quickly diverted the topic.

She looked a bit skeptical, but fortunately, the Hero answered my question.

“Apis and Dawna. We were having a pleasant conversation when the assassin from before suddenly ambushed us… I’m sorry. Despite my opponent being a crazed person who couldn’t even harm my body, it took me a whole seven minutes to subdue her…”

“What are you talking about? That’s quite an impressive feat. Moreover, I’m just glad to know that Dawna and Apis are safe.”

“B-But… sniff, b-but…”

To calm the Hero, who seemed ready to burst into tears, I squeezed her tightly, giving her a stronger embrace than before.

With my hand supporting the back of her head, I gently stroked her golden locks and tightened my arms around her waist like a belt.

Right after I felt her gradually calming down, I let out a relieved sigh.

“Sniff, cough, gasp.”

Some tears that the Hero couldn’t swallow flowed from the shoulder I buried my face in, but it was bearable.

How long had it been?

“Priest! Are you ok?!”

“Uncle!”

From the corridor over there, I saw the Sister and Bigtim rushing toward us.

The fact that they were safe was nothing short of delightful news to me, but unfortunately, both my hands were busy, so I couldn’t wave back energetically.

“Looks like Bigtim is safe too…”

“Cuddle tighter…”

“… Huh?”

“Cuddle me tighter…”

“Ah, yeah…”

Reluctantly accepting the Hero’s pouty demand, I wrapped my left arm around her neck again.

Eventually, that night, due to the incessant worry of the Hero towards me, I had to hold her tightly until dawn.

It was undoubtedly the influence of that fierce nightmares.
That night, I dreamt of an unnamed girl.