Chapter 296

〈 Chapter 297 〉 Chapter 291 – Funeral (3)

*

“Well then, the funeral will soon begin, so please prepare yourselves.”

With those words, the Pope slowly distances himself from them.

Thud, thud – Carefully hiding the thick envelope filled with money in his coat.

‘Damn it, that little cat!!!!!’

As Caressy’s frustration bursts forth in real time, the funeral starts.

Everyone solemnly presents their condolences, placing white chrysanthemums delicately in front of Caressy’s portrait.

With so many attendees, it was the Beastman Kingdom’s way of simplifying while still honoring the deceased.

Of course, the person in question wasn’t actually dead.

While the funeral continues, Hyeji suddenly points her finger at Shinwoo’s left hand.

Specifically, at the small cross that Caressy had put on him.

“Shinwoo, what’s that?”

“Oh, this?”

‘That’s the cross I gave to Shinwoo, you know.’

A thing that’s the only remnant of Caressy from a situation where she didn’t even exist.

Seeing Shinwoo gaze at it with a distant look helps to calm her earlier rising anger a bit.

Soon after, Shinwoo starts to smile sadly.

“It’s a keepsake left by Caressy.”

“……I see. It was a keepsake.”

“It’s the only thing that can remind us of our little cat, right?”

“Now that I think about it, I believe I always wore this around my neck. So cherish it.”

‘Thinking of it as a keepsake isn’t too bad, right?’

Now that there are no traces of Caressy.

The cross was Caressy’s only keepsake.

And they were thinking of it dearly.

“I wonder who would buy it for the highest price?”

‘Don’t sell it!!!!’

It seemed she valued it in a different way.

The heroines were shocked by Shinwoo’s sudden statement.

Soon after, Hyeji and Elcia charge at him fiercely.

“Shinwoo, are you out of your mind?”

“Husband, no matter how I think about it, that’s not okay.”

‘Exactly! Who on earth would think of selling a keepsake!’

Normally, they’d want to tear each other apart over anything.

But in this moment, amidst the funeral, things were different.

It was a scene where the two, who had been growling at each other, collaborated as one.

“The Pope would probably buy it for the highest price.”

“Of course, it should be auctioned, right?”

“Good thinking. You’ve got some brains, huh? Learned a thing or two.”

‘Why is the direction of cooperation going in that way!!!!’

They were collaborating in a slightly different way.

Before they knew it, it was now Shinwoo’s group’s turn to present condolences and place chrysanthemums.

At that moment, Ayeon cautiously opened her mouth to the others.

“Did everyone bring the condolences?”

“……Sorry, I really didn’t think Caressy would actually die.”

“Me too. Who would have thought our little cat would end up like this?”

“I’m in the same boat. I trusted that the little cat wouldn’t die.”

‘Still, those guys at least thought I wouldn’t die.’

It was a sight that could have been criticized for being unprepared.

But Caressy had no intention of blaming Shinwoo’s group at all.

They hadn’t come here thinking Caressy would end up in such a situation.

‘Rather, it’s surprising that Elcia didn’t catch the reverse situation.’

Just as the gloomy mood among Shinwoo’s group spread once again.

Suddenly, Ayeon took something out.

“I anticipated this, so I collected condolences from the succubi in advance. Don’t worry.”

‘You little shit, you were the reverse luck after all!!!!’

It was a thick envelope, similar in size to the one the Pope had shown earlier.

Shinwoo’s group divided that into four envelopes to take for themselves.

Without anyone saying a word, as if they had made a promise, they all put some into their other pockets.

‘Don’t pocket it!!! I’m not dead, yet it still sucks!!!’

Whether they knew Caressy’s feelings or not, Shinwoo’s group began approaching her portrait.

With their hands full of chrysanthemums.

In the midst of that, Hyeji cautiously spoke to Shinwoo.

“But hey, Shinwoo, is it true that Caressy has left us?”

‘Hyeji? Are you stealing my concept of being gone?’

It was customary for there to be at least one beastman-themed heroine in a harem web novel.

But Hyeji was already aiming for that even though Caressy wasn’t dead yet.

At that moment, Ayeon chewed her lips sadly and spoke.

“Hyeji, it’s better to acknowledge reality now, don’t you think?”

‘Just using ‘nya’ indiscriminately doesn’t work! Stick it on the mother!!!’

On the other hand, Elcia approached with an expression that looked like she would burst into tears at the slightest touch.

“Nya nyan nyan nyan nyan nyan.”

‘If your vocabulary is lacking, just don’t say anything! Why is that ear goblin calling the cat with all that nonsense!!!’

In a sad funeral, seeing her call out like that made me furious at first.

And on top of that, she sang perfectly in rhythm and pitch, which made me even angrier.

‘Damn it! I almost sang along!’

With Shinwoo’s group returning to their seats, everyone’s mourning came to a close.

It was time for everyone to sniffle as they wiped their tears.

At that moment, the Pope quietly wiped his tears and stood before them.

“Finally, Shinwoo, would you please come forward and say a few words to everyone?”

“…Understood.”

He suddenly pointed to Shinwoo and requested him to speak on behalf of everyone.

Since he was handing over the closing of the funeral to an outsider, someone could have protested.

But no one raised any objections.

In a way, it was a natural occurrence.

They could all be there thanks to Kim Shinwoo.

Standing in front of all the beastmen with teary eyes, Kim Shinwoo cautiously began to speak.

“I can hardly express the devastating feelings I have right now. It’s such a heart-wrenching event.”

‘……Shinwoo…’

I wanted to rush out and comfort him immediately.

But despite my desperate desire, my body wouldn’t respond.

‘Don’t cry…’

Whether tears were contagious from Shinwoo, Caressy’s eyes began to glisten with tears.

“But let’s forget about the bad things now. Everyone needs to live for the new Beastman Kingdom, right?”

‘Nyaa, what kind of “bad things” is that! Don’t forget it!’

With Shinwoo’s statement, Caressy’s tears dried up instantly.

I wanted to rush out and slap him right then and there.

But cruelly, my body still wouldn’t move.

Shinwoo’s ruthless words sought to end the funeral.

“Lastly, let’s sing a requiem for her so that it may reach Caressy, who has already gone far away.”

‘She’s right there!!! Wake up, will you!!!’

At Shinwoo’s words, the beastmen stopped wiping their tears and looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

What is it that he wants to say?!

Why a requiem out of the blue?!

What kind of song should they sing?!

Seeing the confused reactions and exchanged glances among the beastmen.

Shinwoo raised his voice mixed with tears as if urging them.

“I mean, you all need to cry here.”

With that, all the beastmen began to wail in unison.

And their sorrowful cries intertwined to create a single symphony.

It was truly a requiem made up solely of their cries.

“UuuuuuuuAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“Sniff! Uruuuuh! Kreeeaaak!”

“Caerling! Caerling! Caerling!!!”

“Uuuuuuuuhhh! AAAAAAAAHHHH!”

The more I heard those cries.

Caressy’s heart burned and truly felt so sad.

‘This is too much. Is it really going to end like this…’

Still, my body wouldn’t move.

Yet, the funeral was nearing its end.

‘How much longer must this go on…’

It should have been recovering by now, but my body wouldn’t budge.

My voice wouldn’t come out either.

‘Lord! Please, make me move!’

Despite Caressy’s earnest cries, the Lord remained silent once again.

It was as if even the Lord had forgotten Caressy.

I felt scared.

What if I really ended up all alone?

Would I continue to stay here after everyone leaves?

It scared me.

A world without me.

And the thought of that world moving on unchanged.

But what was even more frightening and terrifying was something else entirely.

Everyone would live on in a world without me.

The current sadness would eventually fade into just a little memory.

‘I don’t want this….’

Then, eventually.

They would forget.

And that thought was agonizing beyond belief.

I hoped with all my heart that it wouldn’t happen.

‘I don’t want to… I want to be with them……’

Soon after, Caressy began to shed tears from her only moving eyes.

Putting countless wishes into each tear.

Don’t forget me.

Remember me.

Please find me.

Don’t leave me behind.

I want to be with you.

Those wishes flowed with the tears.

Endlessly and continuously.

‘I want to… I want to cry and laugh with everyone…’

Even if I’m teased for crying, I want to do it right in front of them.

I even missed the routine of getting angry at ridiculous comments.

I wanted to walk together again, laughing with them.

‘I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t be like this…’

But I couldn’t stop the tears that I couldn’t wipe away.

And at the same time, I didn’t want to take in the sights of the funeral anymore.

So Caressy tightly closed her eyes.

I didn’t want to see anything anymore.

I hoped when I opened my eyes it would all be a dream.

I even tried to hypnotize myself, convincing myself it must be some malicious prank.

But the more I did that, the more the tears flowed endlessly.

And no matter how much I didn’t want to acknowledge it, I had no choice but to accept.

Cruelly, this is reality.

“Sniff……Huuh…Please… don’t… do this…”

As I closed my eyes and sobbed, suddenly the people’s cries began to fade, and a terrible silence descended.

Perhaps the funeral was nearing its end.

“…Please don’t leave me behind…”

Even with my desperate heart, Caressy couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes.

She couldn’t bear to witness the process of everyone moving on without her.

“……Sniff…Hik…Please, I beg you…”

So all Caressy could do was quietly shed tears.

Muttering desperately for someone to find her.

“…..Please find me… take me with you…. UuuUUUANNNN…”

But the heavy silence continued.

No one showed any intention of breaking that silence.

At that moment.

“Ta-da!”

A sound that makes you doubt your ears.

Suddenly began to echo deeply in Caressy’s ear.

“It’s a hidden camera!!!!”

*