Chapter: 388
Benedict, who felt it physically, was a monster beyond what I had seen with my own eyes.
Was it even reasonable to say that each of his punches had enough power to shatter my defense?
Even though I had gained the skill called Superhuman Body and my specs had increased relatively, I ended up sprawled on the floor, constantly pressured by Benedict.
There was no time to provoke Benedict. How could I chat when even breathing was a challenge?
After I had collapsed to the point where I couldn’t move a finger, Frey and Arthur stepped forward, saying they wanted to experience Benedict’s strength firsthand.
Watching that scene, I wondered if they had lost their minds. To say that after witnessing what had just happened to me made me suspect they had developed a masochistic tendency while training in the Allen Knights.
Benedict didn’t refuse their request. He said he could help those who had given him enlightenment.
“Since I can’t teach you much by fighting one by one, why don’t the three of you come at me together?”
“…Huh? Allen-brock. I’m not really in the mood for a duel.”
“Understood, Allen-brock. I’ll do my best.”
“I’m going to touch him at least once!”
“No, what I’m saying is, I don’t want to duel?!”
“Ha ha. Very well. Come at me. I hope your spirit lasts till the end.”
“Excuse me?! Can you even hear me?!”
Of course, the three of them got wrecked by Benedict.
If I couldn’t endure his attacks, how could the other three?
Even when Jack joined, making it four against Benedict, and I, who had somewhat recovered, joined as the fifth, nothing changed. Benedict was overwhelming, and we were just playthings in his hands.
Yet we didn’t back down. Even knowing we couldn’t win, we threw ourselves at Benedict with all our might.
In the despair handed over by physical and mental limits, it was more than worth being able to clash with Benedict.
It had tremendous value for the strongest around the continent to personally show us various things.
So, I honed my stamina in the morning, dueled with Benedict at noon, and repeated training in the Knights until bedtime for days.
The snowstorm that had covered the territory gradually weakened, and eventually, the dark clouds cleared away, letting the sun rise in the sky.
Mira. It was the day commemorating the woman Benedict loved and would continue to love, the mother of Lucy.
“Sloppy Erin. Tie this for me today.”
Waking up early in the morning, I took out the accessory given by the Perverted Apostle from my inventory. Erin stared blankly at the accessory in my hand for a long time before finally coming to her senses.
“Miss. What exactly is this?”
“It’s an item filled with the Perverted Apostle’s disgusting tastes.”
“…Huh?”
After hearing my explanation, Erin blinked in confusion, but I didn’t say anything more.
No matter how I explained the Perverted Apostle, it would only deepen her confusion.
Seeing that I had sealed my lips, Erin didn’t ask any further questions. She just cautiously handled the precious-looking accessory as if it were burdensome.
“I’m sorry, Miss. My skills are lacking compared to the greatness of this accessory.”
Erin had spent quite some time styling her hair, but her expression was dark.
Her explanation was that she could not perfectly handle such greatness due to her insufficient skills compared to the accessory.
It was hard for me to understand Erin’s words. The hairstyle created by the Perverted Apostle looked no different from what she had now.
“I want to learn from the one who made this accessory. They must be an incredible artist.”
While watching Erin’s struggles through the mirror, I pondered whether I should let her meet the Perverted Apostle once.
It was true that he was a disgusting pervert, but in the realm of art, he was an overwhelming presence.
I didn’t think he would hesitate to teach his skills. Once I catered to that perverted taste of his, he would surely teach happily while grinning.
“For the outfit, I’ve prepared the dress that your late mother liked the most.”
“…Sloppy Erin. Do you have a problem with your head? Do you think the dress I wore back then would fit me now?”
“Don’t worry, Miss. There’s no significant change.”
At Erin’s claim that minimum tailoring would suffice, I froze.
It had been several years since Mira left this world, yet you’re saying nothing has changed significantly? Are you saying Lucy’s body is exactly like when she was a child!?
An indescribable shock filled my head, but at the same time, I found it somewhat understandable.
After all, Lucy’s height could be compared to an elementary school student. Half of the things at an amusement park, she wouldn’t be able to ride.
…More importantly, my gaze met the young Lucy’s at the place prepared by the Sloppy Lord. How could I deny the obvious fact?
The outfit Erin brought was a simple white dress similar to the one I wore at the end-of-term party.
An outfit that enhances the wearer’s appearance with minimalist embellishments.
‘Oh my! Lucy! You’re so pretty!’
‘What if they mistake you for an angel from heaven and take you away?! Mommy is so worried!’
The moment I saw it, memories of Lucy’s past flickered through my mind.
Ah, crap. Now I get why Lucy insisted on those ridiculously flashy clothes. Not wearing such clothes would make her mother’s face come to mind, and she couldn’t help it.
“Miss? Are you okay?”
Hearing Erin’s voice, I snapped back to reality and wiped the tears pooling at the corners of my eyes with both hands. I was gradually getting used to the unexpected melancholy.
When I finished preparing and stepped outside the mansion, Benedict was there waiting for me.
As always, he tried to smile, but upon seeing me, he stiffened for a moment, bit his lip, turned his head hastily, and after some time passed, he faced me again.
He was trying hard to smile, but the moisture in his eyes revealed who he was thinking of at that moment.
“It’s been a while since I saw you in that dress.”
“When I’m already this pretty, don’t you think I look even prettier? I despise those disgusting sloppy perverts!”
“Ha ha. You might be right. Even now, there are still rumors circulating in the social circle about your beauty.”
Benedict got that far and extended his hand to me.
Even when I spread my hands wide, his hand was so big that it was hard to grasp with just two fingers, but rather than intimidating, it felt reassuring.
Without hesitation, I took Benedict’s hand, and we walked together.
As we walked, Benedict talked about Mira, who he remembered.
A chance encounter born in the middle of war. His frantic courtship. The family’s opposition to marrying a commoner woman. Benedict’s persistence.
As I absorbed all of his stories, I realized how much softer Benedict had become now.
In the past, he was a reckless, moody guy who had the power and ability to do whatever he wanted. Of course, the fundamental kindness is what sets him apart from Lucy.
As I listened intently to his stories while moving my feet, the Allen graveyard appeared before us.
It must have been early even by medieval standards, yet many people were gathered near the cemetery.
What was strange was that they were staying outside the cemetery but not going inside. It was as if they were waiting for someone.
“Everyone. The Lord has arrived.”
As soon as one of the group spoke, the people quickly parted to make way.
A path created out of respect, not fear.
How enviable. Will I ever be able to see such a sight someday?
“It’s been a while. My Lord.”
The man in charge of managing the grave bowed politely to Benedict and then raised his eyebrows when he saw me. Was it that surprising that I, who hadn’t visited last year, had come back?
“…Miss?”
“People grow, don’t they?”
“Surely, Mira will be pleased as well.”
“Indeed.”
“Please, go on in. I will guard this place.”
As we walked deep into the cemetery, a marble building came into view.
Being marked with the Allen family crest, it seemed to be a resting place for family members.
Benedict led me right up to it and then took a step back.
“Go on in and have a chat first. This old man comes by often to be nagged, so I don’t have much to say anyway.”
I didn’t refuse Benedict’s kindness. My laden heart would surely crumble the moment I saw Mira’s grave.
“…Ugh.”
My expectations weren’t wrong. The moment I saw the cross with Mira’s name written on it, my eyes turned red.
“…Ugh.”
The feeling was completely different from when fear surged and my heart crumbled. When I fell into fear, it felt like the dam broke due to my endurance limit, while now it just felt like the floodgates naturally opened.
Hwaaaah!
So, I sat down on the floor and cried. I shed tears for a long time.
Until my tears dried up and I couldn’t cry anymore.
Continuously.
Continuously.
Continuously.
Until my throat was hoarse and I couldn’t produce a proper voice anymore, I barely gathered my sanity and stood up unsteadily.
The moment I engraved Mira’s name back into my mind, I felt like tears would burst out again, but I held back that emotion. If I broke down again, I feared I would truly faint from crying.
Holding back my lips until the sadness settled, I gazed at Mira’s name and took out a necklace.
The necklace that Lucy desperately wanted to find.
An item that once held a miracle but had now lost all its power.
Unlike what the past Lucy preferred, it appeared rather plain on the outside.
I placed that necklace on the grave in place of Lucy.
The moment the necklace left my hands, divinity dwelled there.
Not the kind of divinity used by ordinary clergy, but the kind that holds the warmth of the Lord.
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