One of the guild’s rooms. On the bed, Erald has been bedridden with long sleeps and shallow awakenings since he woke up that day.

Vera, Colin and even the younger children are now taking turns to stay by his side. The reason for this is that when he wakes up, he goes half-crazy if there is no one by his side.

Al and Vera have sensed that when Lamarda manifested, the mana stored in his eyes was taken away, and at the same time something was left inside him. As a result, his mana became disturbed, and he sees this as one of the reasons why it has not yet subsided. Of course, there is also a great deal of sadness due to the loss of his father and sister.

『Apostle Albert. I will say it first. I will disappear when I meet the Divine Child. At least I will no longer be able to communicate with you in this way.』

By Joel’s arrangement, the meeting with Daryl and his group is set for two days from now, despite the short notice. Naturally, they will be watched, but Lamarda does not care about human surveillance. Al believes that they will fulfill their mission in some way.

Then, will you tell me ‘my role’ in the meantime?

Lamarda shakes her head lightly.

『It is my ‘afterglow’ that informs you of your role. After I am gone, please “receive” it from Erald. And, although it’s a selfish wish, please do me the favor of looking after Erald.』

Ha ha. It’s really selfish. A messenger of the Goddess.

Erald and Lamarda, who were used as vehicles of the Goddess, were not rewarded. They should have been ordained as “apostles” by the priests of the church.

I understand that the goddess has her own reasons. However, Al doesn’t care.

Erald, the chosen messenger, has lost his father and sister, and his emotions are still unstable.

Lamarda has even lost her life, suffering extreme physical and mental pain.

Why should a child with no faults suffer? Aren’t his rainbow-colored eyes also the result of the influence of the being messenger of goddess? If you have a mission, don’t involve them and just manifest before the two Divine Child. Wouldn’t that do so ……?

Even if he doesn’t say it out loud, Al vents his thoughts, knowing that everything is being kept in the loop by Lamarda.

『…. Apostle Albert. Although Elinora-sama is a pillar of God, she is by no means an omniscient and omnipotent being. I, her messenger, even more, so,  you understand that, don’t you?』

In this world, the Goddess must be bound. I can understand that somehow. I’m just taking it out on them, so to speak. I know I’m just putting my own powerlessness and incompetence on the shelf. I am sorry. After all, I am a small and immature human being.

If this were just a case of being devoured by monsters in the Great Forest, Al could easily accept it.

It is frustrating, but the nature of these insects is neither evil nor hideous. They have no desire to harm their prey. There is only the exchange of life. There is no play. They just live.

Even Al knows this. In the first place, it is an ugly struggle between human races. No, it is not even a struggle. The Viscount Barthe had ugly desires, and he had the power to make them come true. And the father and the twins didn’t have the power to get rid of Viscount Barthe. That’s all there is to it. It is nothing more than a distorted struggle between the weak and strong among humans.

“I will support Erald. It is natural to help the powerless. I don’t need you to tell me that. No, you don’t. You have no right to say that.”

It is Al’s indignation. Even if the other party is a transcendent being.

『…Yes. Although we didn’t have a hand in it, we couldn’t have said that about those of us who took advantage of them.』

***

The day of the meeting with Daryl and the others. By Yoel’s arrangement, a slightly smaller private room was prepared for the meeting.

Daryl, Cecily, Yoel and Rauno. And, although they cannot be seen, several guards are stationed outside the training room. Even a master of the hidden form, whom even Al could not sense, had been mobilized. Al learned of their existence through Lamarda’s telepathic advice.

“Haha. It wasn’t something that would require such an extensive preparation…”

In the meantime, Al had heard that they were still keeping Daryl and Cecily in the dark about the “Divine Child” but he felt that if they continued this way, it would be natural for them to feel uncomfortable with them.

Joel had already blurted out before that Cecily was already distrustful of him. Al asked at the time, ‘Not so much on Daryl’s part?’ he thought, but now it seems different.

Rather, I wonder if Darryl is even aware of Lamarda’s presence. Perhaps because of his training, the sparkling light that was still messy before is now a lot more relaxed.

It is clearly evident when the two stand side by side. Cecily’s light aura, overflowing uncontrollably.

On the other hand, Daryl’s light aura is more precise, and relaxed but intense.

Al finds that Daryl’s light is proof of the goddess’ favor and control.

And his mana is calmer and less fluctuating.

It’s not what strange is but the person himself. A person who has made some kind of decision. Al sees through that. The same goes for the messenger goddess.

『Apostle Albert. Farewell. I go forth to fulfill my mission. Please accept my afterglow, which I have entrusted to Erald. Perhaps, once I am gone, his mana disturbance will lessen.』

With these words, Lamarda disappears. She may still be present, but Al can no longer perceive her presence, her figure, her voice, or anything else.

The requirements requested by Lamarda were completed quickly and easily.

Al himself wanted to contact Daryl and the others and talk to them at, but he was being watched by serious observers, and now was clearly not the right place. It would be out of the question to talk about the Divine Child.

Originally, he thought that once the errand of the Lamalda was done, he would pass the time with some appropriate small talk, but Al changed his mind when he saw the state of Daryl.

“Lord Darryl. Since there are others here, tell me one thing.”

“Yes, that’s fine. What do you want to know, Mister Al?”

Apostle Albert and Divne Child Daryl.

It is not a relationship where they understand each other. However, they had something in common only at this time.

Joel and the watchers who are already around are no longer in their sight. The same goes for Cecily, the other ‘Divine Child’. She, too, is already no longer their puppet.

So Al’s question.

“Do you know your mission?”

“…”

Yoel and Rauno’s inner thoughts are in turmoil.

Joel wishes. ‘Don’t say any more.’ ‘I don’t want to kill Al.’

“….I know. I’m on a mission. But I’m not going to end up at the mercy of the mission.”

And Daryl’s response.

This surprises Joel and the others. They are not sure if it has been leaked. At least Joel was told that the gradual revelation of the oracle to the two of them would start at the timing of the dissolution of the engagement between His Highness Adam and Miss Ariel, after the annulment of the succession of the family. In other words, after the possibilities had become infinitely narrower.

“I see. Then we’re done talking. I don’t know the outcome or the content at all, but it seems that I have fulfilled my role here. Daryl-sama understood, didn’t he?”

“Yeah. I have a vague idea of what role Mister Al plays and what it’s all about.”

The determination in Daryl’s eyes. Al feels uneasy about this.

What happened to Daryl? Yoel and the others don’t seem to know, and there’s something about him that smells like a “dead soldier”. Just what the hell is he prepared for?

The talk is completed between the parties, looking at each other.

Naturally, there are those who are dissatisfied. Cecily. Another divine child.

“Wait a minute! What the hell does Mister Al know!”

“Se, Cecily, you know ……!”

Knowing that it is more than a given role, Joel quickly restrains her. Rauno does not move. He is already quietly bracing himself for battle, observing Al’s departure. If push comes to shove.

“Mister Yoel! You guys…”

“No, Cecily. Lord Yoel and his men are only doing their part.”

Don’t go any further.

Daryl stops Cecily by covering her up further.

“Da, Darryl … what do you … know …?”

Cecily doesn’t know. I’ve never seen Daryl like this. The old familiar suddenly feels like a distant stranger.

“Lord Joel. The meeting with Mister Al is over. That’s fine with Mister Al, isn’t it .?”

“Yes. My business is done. I’m afraid of Rauno and the people out there. But Daryl. I can’t ask for details, and I have no way of knowing, … I just want to wish you good health. Falconer respects those who fight and those who do not run away from their weaknesses.”

“Thank you… It’s a good practice. I don’t want to run away from my weaknesses either. I want to live my life in a way that I will be respected by, Mister Al.”

Perhaps Daryl will die fighting. At least he is prepared to do so.

I don’t know what he’s fighting for or why, but it’s definitely related to Oracle. Al senses such a disturbing shadow.

Are you the Fighting last boss the Undead King? Have you already discovered its existence? .. No, somehow I think it’s different. It’s too late now, and it’s no surprise. So the protagonist’s behavior is also becoming different from the game…

Questions remain about Daryl.

But even so, Al still resigns from the scene while the stout-hearted Cecily is left feeling deflated. Partly because that is what Joel and the others wanted, but also for their own reasons.

The message left by Erald. He should receive it quickly. Otherwise, the negative effects on his body and mind cannot be ruled out.

***

Guild. The bedroom where Ellard rests in a coma.

Al hurries back and is a little relieved to see that nothing to have changed.

“Vera. How is he?”

“A little while ago.. While he was asleep and had tears streaming from his left eye. It seems that some kind of connection with Him or the One has been severed.”

Because she had witnessed the manifestation of the Goddess’ messenger, Vera could faintly sense the innards inside Ellard. Then, the thread-like thing that had been extending outwards broke a little while ago. She could tell that this was probably the result of the messenger calling herself Lamarda fulfilling her “mission”.

“For the time being, she me told to take what was left in the Eraldo. Well, what should I do? I was also told that if the traces of the Goddess’s messenger were lost from the …Erald, the mana disorder would get better.”

I’ve been instructed by Lamarda, but I don’t know exactly how to receive the ‘afterglow’ she’s talking about. Al is not worried about that, but just hopes that it is not a way to put a burden on Erald again.

“Do you want to wait until Erald wakes up?”

Vera asks, staring at Al and imploring him to do so. A wish that the traumatised Erald would not be forced to do so. A quiet but strong plea.

Vera is doing really well. I rarely see anyone cry anymore. Cyrus and others are grateful for her dedication, but Vera is probably the one who was healed by them. It’s no wonder she can’t leave a wounded child alone if it’s right in front of her….

Al nods silently to Vera’s question and pulls a chair up beside him to sit down. He waits until Erald wakes up naturally.

“Sorry. Al-sama. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting..”

“I don’t mind. From what I can see, Erald is calmer than he was yesterday. He’s probably a lot less burdened now that the connection with the Goddess’ messenger has been severed. Once I get the message. he’ll be even better. I wish there was an explanation as to why the goddess did it this way..”

Al is inevitably prickly towards goddesses and messengers.

He is not an ardent believer in goddesses to begin with, and he also feels victimised by the fact that he was forced to become an ‘apostle’ or something like that. The fact that he was reincarnated in this world with memories of his previous life is also a factor. You can’t say that the Goddess is not involved.

But now, rather than such thoughts about himself, he is smoldering with the thought of why he could not help Lamalda and her father.

(Huh. Apostle Albert’s role isn’t all sweat at all.

I can only speculate, but even the gods, the goddesses, and the king of the undead, cannot resist forceful things from higher beings.. In other words, this game-based world is not the intention of the goddesses either? Are the ‘apostles’ and the ‘Divine Child’ and ‘Saint’ who did not appear in the game a means of subverting that? or Could it be that this world itself was created to recreate the “game story” of this time period? If so, it’s too big a scale.)

Al and Vera. Erald in a doze.

Time passes quietly.

Al is still mulling over his thoughts, when suddenly it happens.

Erald wakes up.

However, it is the “afterglow” of the true apostle that awakens him.

He slowly raises his body, but his movements are somewhat awkward. And his right eye is still iridescent.

“Are you the Afterglow of Master Lamarda?”

Needless to say. The obvious. Not even a confirmation, to be sure. Al asks. And the answer comes back.

『Yes. But I am different from the thing that was working with Apostle Albert. I am the thing that originally resided in Erald’s right eye. One that informs Apostle Albert of his role.』

The manas are calm, yet holy, and majestic. However, the sign is considerably weaker than when first manifested by them.

Afterglow_I guess that there is only a shade of the angels left in Erald anymore. Al guesses so.

“I want to get Ellard’s body back on its feet as soon as possible. Can you quickly tell me what my role is?”

『… Apostle Albert. The one who is summoned. The one who knows the outer reason. Your guesses about the world are not far off the mark.』

The thing Elalda speaks. Al’s thoughts earlier are not correct, but they are not so far off the mark.

However, the heart of Al, the one who was told this, grows cold. He is not interested in such a grandiose story. He just thinks that if a goddess or an undead king is going to suffer, they should go ahead and do it on their own.

『…I can’t understand Apostle Albert’s thoughts. Is that natural in the outside world?』

“No, But I don’t care about your interests. Speak quickly. Tell me what my role is, you know. ..”

Al no longer hides what can be called a clear hostility to the being in front of him. Because he knows that while this being has been manifesting, Erald must be wearing out. It is the duty of those affiliated to the nobility to support the powerless.

『… Yes, you’re certainly right. Apostle Albert. Rather than taking the time to talk about it in words, I will give it to you as it is. The rest is for you to decide.』

After saying this, the thing inhabiting Erald disappeared without a trace, as did the thing calling itself Lamarda. No sign of it can be confirmed.

However, the moment he suddenly felt something pouring into his body, and Al’s consciousness was cut off.