Chapter: 234
“What the… is that?”
An hero stationed at the Northern Frontline Area guarding the city and its borders squinted as he spotted something.
High above in the sky, an unknown entity was flying at great speed, scattering starlight from the direction of the city towards the outside.
Martina had already laid down anti-air magic to fend off any potential attacks from flying demonic beasts; however, that magic was designed only to intercept whatever was coming from the outside towards the city.
Anything flying from inside the city outwards was not targeted.
“Captain Martina! I’ve spotted a suspicious flying object!”
Hence, the hero quickly reported his findings to his captain, but—
“That light… could it be that Miss…?”
By the time Martina arrived upon hearing the report, the starlight had already escaped over the defenses and out into the wild.
*
Meanwhile, soaring high above the city, Sylvia Astra felt the air around her change and her expression tightened as she noticed the different sensation on her skin.
Her instincts were screaming.
It was dangerous from here on out.
A cursed land filled with magic where no beings could survive aside from witches and demonic beasts.
Looking around, she couldn’t see even so much as a rooted plant, let alone living animals. Any ordinary person would collapse and bleed just from breathing in this air.
For the first time ever, experiencing the air outside the city made Sylvia’s body tremble with fear.
However, such fear couldn’t turn Sylvia’s steps back.
Thinking of what Scarlet would face if she turned back in fright, this kind of fear was—
Shaking her head to brush off her weak heart, Sylvia simply flew forward.
The further she flew, the denser the miasma became.
Even though the sun was shining in the cloudless sky, the thick, dark miasma in the air made the surroundings feel slightly dimmer.
Still, Sylvia unexpectedly smiled and murmured.
“…I’m glad I’m an Astra, at this moment.”
Murmuring this, she focused on reinforcing the elemental power circling around her.
The elemental force of the starlight, said to be the opposing force against the miasma.
It was solely thanks to this that she could move freely even within such thick miasma.
Had she not been an Astra, she wouldn’t have had such abilities and wouldn’t have dared to step outside the city to rescue Scarlet.
Thus, in this moment, Sylvia sincerely felt grateful to be born an Astra.
Even though that bloodline had caused her countless sorrows, at this moment—
With such thoughts, Sylvia pressed on, flying towards her destination.
Even though the heavy miasma limited her visibility to the extent that she could barely see far ahead despite being up in the sky, it didn’t pose a problem.
The White Dagger in Yoon Si-woo’s possession.
The Holy Sword of Truth that she always kept close in a ring was guiding her to where its owner was.
However, there was one thing Sylvia didn’t know.
The ability of the Holy Sword of Truth was to inform its user of the status and location of its target in detail.
To utilize that ability, however, a medium for connection with that target was required.
For instance, hair or a ring stained with blood.
But since Scarlet’s body had been transformed and altered by the witch, the remnants of her previous form did not provide a complete connection.
As a result, all the Holy Sword of Truth could inform Sylvia was Scarlet’s current location.
What situation Scarlet was in remained unknown.
That was why—
Sylvia couldn’t reach her in time.
By the time she arrived, Scarlet had already been turned to rags by the hunting party.
“Stop, there!!”
And when Sylvia desperately yelled to stop them—
It was already too late; the First Elder’s sword had already plunged into Scarlet’s neck.
“Oh…?”
With a face filled with confusion, the First Elder pulled the blood-stained sword back from Scarlet’s neck.
With a wet sound, the red droplets fell from the sword.
As the sword was removed, Scarlet slowly collapsed, landing with a thud onto the ground, a red girl.
Sylvia, unable to tear her eyes away from the sequence of events that unfolded as if in slow motion, hurriedly rushed over to the fallen Scarlet, grasping her hand and murmuring.
“Y-You, Scarlet? Open your eyes… No… it can’t be… right…?”
Sylvia, why are you here?
The voices of those around her, asking that question, seemed to not reach her ears as she dazedly murmured to herself, looking down at the warm sensation in her legs.
A large red puddle was staining her legs.
Sylvia recoiled in fear.
The warm temperature of the blood gushing from Scarlet’s neck contrasted frighteningly with her increasingly cold body.
Feeling overly terrified, Sylvia pleaded with Scarlet.
“Please… please open your eyes… No, don’t… don’t do this…”
But even with that plea, Scarlet’s hand did not move.
As vitality slowly drained from Scarlet’s face,
Sylvia eventually came to a realization.
It was too late.
Once again.
“Aah, hooowwwww…!”
Even though she had rushed with all her might, she was unable to protect the girl’s voice.
She had promised.
This time, she vowed to help her.
Why, why was it the case again, once again—
With regret and sorrow.
With sadness and guilt,
Sylvia cried out.
It was in that moment.
[■■■■■■■■■!!!!]
Somewhere, the sounds of a demonic beast’s roar echoed, and from the center of the burning forest, a massive fireball shot up into the sky.
That blaze took the form of a giant bird.
The enormous burning mass soared high into the sky and flew down towards where the people were.
“Th-That’s…!”
“The Phoenix of Twilight…”
The massive firebird that appeared before them drew gasps and voices filled with despair from the squad members.
They knew all too well how formidable this entity was, and they understood that facing it meant that surviving was impossible.
Yet, every member who had joined the hunting party had done so knowing they might lose their lives.
The hunting members stepped forward, choosing to protect what they held dear above their lives and shouted.
“Protect Miss Sylvia!!”
“We must ensure that Miss Sylvia returns safely, even if we perish!”
[■■■■■■■■■!!!!]
The demonic beast roared at them.
For some strange reason, the beast’s roar sounded reminiscent of the howl Sylvia had released earlier, making her think quietly.
Maybe that beast was mourning now.
Mourning and angry.
The demonic beast was preparing to unleash flames, indicating that it had no intention of letting anyone here leave alive.
Sylvia felt it.
No matter how hard they tried, everyone, including her would die at the hands of the beast.
Despite the situation, not having thoughts of fear was because she felt as if she were receiving punishment.
Feeling the flames spewing from the demonic beast approaching, Sylvia held Scarlet’s limp body in her arms.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, she murmured.
Whispering apologies that would no longer reach her.
And then—
At that very moment,
Sylvia felt a push against her, as if someone was trying to shove her away.
*
A voice echoed from somewhere.
“I won’t forgive you,
I won’t forgive you.”
The cry filled with sorrow reverberated in her mind.
As she rose to her feet upon hearing that voice, she saw a child crying.
Perhaps due to overwhelming sadness.
The child was shouting at the people.
Blocking the child’s path, I asked her.
“What made you so angry?”
The child burst out angrily.
“I can’t keep it in anymore.
Those who made you suffer,
I will make them suffer just the same.”
Realizing that the child was angry on her behalf caused a swell of gratitude in me.
It was kind, but I replied to the child.
“You shouldn’t take out your anger on others just because you’re upset.”
The child yelled in protest.
“How can you do that when they have caused you such irreversible pain?”
“I remember how you’ve suffered because of them before, not just once but twice.”
“Then isn’t it right to burn them away, like back then?” the child said.
I shook my head.
As I did, the child shouted.
“I’ve had enough already.
I’ve been holding back for 500 years, wanting to burn them all down!”
At those words, I asked the child.
“Why have you held back?”
The child answered with a grumpy expression.
“…because I knew you regretted hurting others in the end.”
At the child’s response, I smiled sadly and said.
“Yes, I regretted it deeply.
I realized that no matter how angry I got at people, in the end, I too would only end up sad.”
After speaking, I gently patted the child’s head in comfort.
“I don’t want to regret like that again.
So please, can you hold on a little longer?”
When I made that request, the child asked with a complex look.
“Is that really enough for you?”
Nodding, I replied.
“It’s enough.”
Reluctantly, the child nodded and said.
“If that’s what you wish, I will.”
After a moment of silence, the child hugged me tightly and mumbled.
“Please don’t get hurt,
You’ve already hurt so much,
I hope you don’t hurt anymore.”
With the warmth from the child’s body, I felt the pain fade away and smiled at her.
“Thank you, see you next time.”
[It was nice to meet you again.]
With those words, the child flapped her wings and flew off into the distance.
*
For a moment, I looked blankly at the sky, and then sensing a presence, I looked around.
People were gazing at me with complicated expressions.
What were they thinking as they looked at me?
A benefactor who saved them from the demonic beasts?
Or a monster who, despite suffering critical injuries, had risen again thanks to the demon’s help?
I couldn’t tell.
One thing was certain, no matter what they did, I would never harm them.
As those thoughts occupied my mind, I felt my consciousness begin to fade, perhaps because of the injuries I had sustained, and I stumbled.
That was when—
A flash of light erupted from somewhere.
“Uugh… what is happening…?”
The sudden flash blinded the crowd, causing them to groan.
As I managed to recover from the dazzling effect and opened my eyes, what I saw was—
“I’m late, but I thought you might need some help… Miss Scarlet.”
Sylvia, drenched in tears and riding on the starlight, was in front of me.
Wiping her tears with her sleeve, she quickly reached out as if to say “Catch me.”
“Let’s escape. Just the two of us.”
The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Sylvia’s tear-stained, yet brightly smiling face.
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