Volume 2: Chapter 022: Percelis (Eltear)‘s Final Memory
Author: かっぱ同盟／友麻碧
Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3862be/
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
Gumihou: Will adjust Tooru to Thor when feasible. ‘Tooru’ seems too out of place in the world of Maydea
Why did the world need ‘them’?
Why build these caskets? Why replace the corpses again and again?
The amount of magic one possessed defined their existence. At times, it even defined their role in this world.
“Shrine Maiden, your approval, please.”
“I refuse!! Shuma!”
The world becomes unstable when those in power do not conform to their roles.
A world where only 8 caskets were filled to serve as the pillars of the world.
“For the sake of protecting this land. We no longer have the body of the ‘past’ Crimson Witch. It will fall into the underground spring at any moment. If the casket remains empty, disaster will befall this land!”
“If that’s the case, I will take her place!! Leave Shuma out of this!”
“No, you have a designated casket. Moreover, you have yet to fulfil your role.”
The elders and the people from the Sanctuary dedicated themselves to protecting this land, following rules and customs that had been passed down long ago.
After that huge explosion, the Crimson Witch and Hero Kaya died, as expected.
However, their bodies could not be recovered. They were nowhere to be found. In fact, it would be strange if even a piece of their corpse remained after that horrific explosion.
Death had happened, but just how important their corpses were to this world was something that I had not anticipated.
When I finally learned of the reason why these caskets existed, and why a ‘body’ was so important… I was lost for words.
The people of the Sanctuary said that by placing Shuma into the Crimson Witch’s casket, the ‘Green Curtain’ will continue to be maintained.
With the loss of the Crimson Witch’s body, Shuma was the closest thing to a Demon Class magic user. These people kept saying things like how this was an ‘honour’ and nothing like a ‘sacrifice’, but it was all nonsense! Nonsense!
No matter how much I protested, I could not defend Shuma against this. That was because Shuma himself said, “If Mother is also entering one of the caskets someday, the three of us will be together forever.”
I was helpless.
My own son said that he was willing to die to protect this land.
Together forever?
I had never wanted forever or eternity.
Why was it that as soon as happiness was within my grasp, it flowed through my fingers again and again?
It all flowed into this Holy Nation.
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(Final Memory)
Sanctuary of Vabilophos
Eltear : 28 years old
After Shuma’s death, I was like a lifeless doll.
Nothing mattered anymore.
I could not recall how many times I wished for death as I stared at the bodies of Yunosis and Shuma in that Sanctuary. Once I died, this Green Shrine Maiden bloodline would disappear with me. That way, I might even take some revenge on this Holy Nation.
However, if I do that… I would be denying Yunosis and Shuma’s purpose of dying for this Holy Nation.
Since I distrusted the inhabitants of the Sanctuary, I eventually chose the Third Prince of Rubelkia among the candidates recommended by the priests as my new husband.
I believed he was a sincere and impeccable person. He was younger than me but was always thinking of ways to try and restore peace in that devastated world.
At that time, I was in a constant state of fugue, drowning in the sorrow of losing my husband and son. I could hardly even remember that person’s face.
Eventually, we had a daughter.
The much-awaited ‘Green Shrine Maiden’ that the Holy Nation was so desperate to have.
She was named ‘Aeris’.
“… …”
Even after having my daughter, I would still fall into a state of fugue.
My second husband often had to return to Rubelkia, but even so, he was more often by my side compared to the White Sage. And, though I was reluctant to open up to him, he treated me very sincerely.
The daughter I had with this man was certainly my daughter.
Even though what I had once sought was now within my grasp, I still could not forget the white silhouette etched within my mind.
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Right then, every continent and every country is in turmoil. The Western Continent was half destroyed and malicious miasma particles were scattered throughout the world. Many nations were reformed or outright destroyed. Survivors fled the continent to other countries, causing further chaos.
In that new era where no overwhelmingly powerful people reigned, ugly emotions drove people into ugly conflicts. It had gotten so bad that life ruled by the reckless whims of the Demon Kings appeared peaceful.
Southern Continent’s Kingdom of Rubelkia managed to keep its people together through their connections with the Sanctuary. It tried to unite its people and suppress growing anxiety and dissatisfaction with the Sanctuary’s support.
After all, the ‘Sanctuary’ protects everything.
There was no need to worry about a thing.
However, disaster soon struck.
It came in the form of an unprecedented epidemic, causing many deaths on the Southern Continent. White Magic was not advanced enough to cure it.
The illness was part of the Crimson Witch’s Curse. Because the people in the Sanctuary had placed the wrong body into the Crimson Witch’s casket, the vicious Miasma Particles found their way through the Green Curtain. Also, the political connection between the Kingdom and the Sanctuary became fraught due to rumours that the Green Curtain was not functioning properly. Many more such rumours chased after each other around the Sanctuary.
Helpless frustration washed over me. I was angry over Shuma’s pointless sacrifice. However, I no longer had the strength to express my hatred.
Eventually, the epidemic reached the Sanctuary.
A fight broke out between the priests and the residents as some blamed the priests with ties to the Kingdom for bringing the sickness there.
Ugly, it was all so very ugly. The world became uglier the more I looked at it.
It was not the time for fighting.
No matter what measures we took to isolate the diseased and prevent infections, the sickness kept spreading.
Like a curse.
It was as though something was very, very angry at the Sanctuary.
Finally, my little newborn, Aeris, was also infected.
I could not believe my eyes.
Black spots appeared on her tiny body, spots which would eventually turn into boils that would leak pus and rot the flesh away.
It was an incurable disease, untreatable once contracted. There was nothing to be done about it.
The residents of the Sanctuary all shook their heads, saying things like ‘it cannot be helped’ and ‘the child is no longer viable’. What they wanted was for me to birth a new Shrine Maiden.
“What are you saying…”
For a moment, light returned to my eyes. I had to do something. I had to save this child.
No one else would care for this child. I was the only one who cared enough to want her to live.
Until now, all I could do was watch as Yunosis, Shuma and all the people I cared about, die.
Even now, I could feel the Sanctuary whispering at me, telling me that it was their fate to die. That no matter how much I struggled, there was nothing I could do to change their fates.
I clutched the infected Aeris to my breast and cried at the Great Tree within the Sanctuary.
“Anwer me, please. Is this… is this truly the will of Vabilophos?”
Are you saying that this is not enough?
Even after all you have taken from me, you still want to take this child?
“Aah… ahh… why… why…”
My little girl was gasping for breath, her tiny body hot.
Blood flowed out from the black, pus-filled spots and ran down my arm.
I was powerless.
I do not know the magic to heal this child. Even though I was the Green Shrine Maiden, a being overflowing with magic, I had no answer.
“… Help me… Yunosis…”
I collapsed to the ground with my daughter still in my arms, trembling with despair. Then, suddenly, I remembered something.
“Fate Changing… Magic…”
The nostalgic scent of the sea breeze filled my nose and I saw, within my mind’s eye, the tender smile I had always wanted to see.
He said, that the greatest magic could change a Zero to One. The most difficult of magics.
The magic to change one’s destiny.
“Fine… that’s fine! I don’t care what happens to me, to the world. But please, please, change this child’s fate!!”
I screamed at the Great Tree, the magic inside me surging like never before.
Holy Nation of Vabilophos, you say that I am the Green Shrine Maiden… give me power now.
Make it so that the miracle I believe in will happen!
“Vabilophos!”
Slowly, faintly, the green leaves swayed before me.
My eyes were drawn to the slow sway and sparkle of the leaves.
In the blink of an eye, memories of the Holy Sanctuary flashed through my mind.
“… Ah …”
9 people.
9 silhouettes could be seen in the distance.
Even though I did not know them, I felt a sense of nostalgia as I looked upon their faint figures.
Life and death were repeated countless times. Their lives were coloured by their experience when they met, fought, and parted ways, eventually returning to this place in the end.
In the distance, a blonde figure stood.
Ah… it’s Kaya.
“You will meet again.”
Time passed, going round and round, and here we are again.
Finally… I understood.
“That’s right, your next life is waiting.”
As I lay on the ground, a green light enveloped the Sanctuary. It rushed out like a wave, enveloping the whole continent,
Spores of light danced in the air, turning into a sacred song.
A light shone through the sky, breaking through thick black clouds.
The light surrounded little Aeris and soon, all traces of the disease disappeared and she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
It looked like there was nothing to worry about anymore.
“… …”
Ah, that’s good.
I finally managed to protect something.
Yunosis, was it you who helped me?
I received a little hope in the end.
I stretched out a weak hand and stroked Aeris’ cheek. A tear fell from my eyes.
A child of hope.
From now on, you are the guiding light through a world of dark clouds.
I’m sorry.
It is time for me to leave.
“Shrine Maiden!”
A young man rushed into the Sanctuary through the spores of light.
It was my current husband. I can tell from his voice.
“Please… Take care of Aeris.”
He looked sad and surprised to see me.
I wonder, what do I look like now?
My husband kept nodding even through his tears.
“I will, don’t worry. She is our daughter.”
Our daughter.
I finally remembered that person’s name… and his face…
He was a brave young man. A manly kind of man, completely different from Yunosis. His name was… Joel…
I think I said thank you, and… sorry…
However, I couldn’t hear anything.
I couldn’t see anything.
Even as my consciousness floated further and further away, I felt like I was being surrounded by something warm. Like cool sunlight filtering through leaves.
That’s right.
I did not die in despair.
I held on to hope even as I burned my life away.
I had to tell him.
I had to tell that person.
Tell Yunosis… no, that’s not right. It’s Ulysses.
I must say it.
I must tell him.
How I finally found this ray of hope.
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When I woke up, the air was so fresh that it felt like I had been reborn again.
Light was coming from the window.
I hear the sound of falling rain.
Birds are singing and flying high in the sky.
I understood. I existed.
My world is filled with colours.
My heart was calm and although I had all the memories, I felt as undisturbed as the surface of a perfectly calm pool of water.
“Percelis!”
“… …”
A red-headed girl and a black-haired young man rushed into my room. When they saw me sitting up, they looked very anxious.
For a moment, I felt strange hearing that name. I know it, but…
That’s right, I am Percelis now.
“That’s right, you are… the Crimson Witch and… the Black Demon King…”
“… …”
“I finally understand, why… you needed each other.”
Makia has a hand over her mouth as though trying to hold back tears.
Those tears had to contain a lot of complicated feelings in them. Thor also had an indescribable expression on his face.
A sense of peace came over me as I nodded.
I had finally found the answers to questions that had been plaguing me. I found closure.
I stepped down from the bed and walked out of the store barefoot.
It feels nostalgic yet new and unfamiliar.
The dark sky had cleared after the evening rain.
As I stared at the sky, I did not wish to even blink.
Ah.
This is a completely different world.
[Gumihou: This is sad and meaningful at the same time.]
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