Back home (2)

I still remember that day.

20 years ago. The year I turned 17

It was a cold night when the cold air of late winter sliced the lungs and a blizzard mixed with soot raged.

It was the night of the raid.

Taking advantage of the gap in the military’s vigilance, the Witch Beast raided the evacuation camp where I and my family lived.

Soldiers and able-bodied people were helpless by the swarm of Witchbeasts, and the Witchbeasts slaughtered and ate countless people, crying out for their great leader.

My parents died trying to protect me and my little brother when we were young, and the two of us who ran away were caught up by the beasts before long.

-Help me!

All helpless children could do was lie down and beg for mercy.

However, how fleeting are human pleas in front of monsters.

I tried to protect my younger brother, but the monster’s claws pierced my belly skin, and they snatched my younger brother from me, whose intestines were dripping.

And, in front of my eyes, he chewed and ate his struggling younger brother alive.

Do you know the screams of humans being minced by sharp teeth?

The screams of boiling blood bubbles dispersed in agony, and blood and pieces of flesh regurgitated by the demonic beast flowed down in front of my eyes.

I had to live to see all that spectacle.

-Ahh···.

With my head down in my brother’s blood, I looked at them with eyes wide open in anger and hatred.

Cursed and screamed.

i am going to kill you

I will tear you to pieces with these two hands, grind them down with my teeth, and drink them all.

With that original hatred and intent to kill, I cried out.

Was it a whim?

I lost my entire family and lost my mind, but the monsters turned around without killing me.

Since there was a hole in his stomach, he must have thought he would die soon.

I died slowly, pinned to the cold dirt floor, and I was barely rescued by the time dawn had passed.

-·······.

from then.

my time has stopped

In the heart where hope disappeared, the flames of hatred sprouted, and it burned as a scare in the name of revenge.

The time of awakening like the movie did not come.

I was a human without magic or superpowers, and the gun in my hand was my only weapon.

Even so, I headed to the battlefield to kill the Witchbeast.

-Do you want to fight? do you want to commit suicide

People laughed at me, but I didn’t care.

Even one kills more monsters.

That was my only goal left, and I had nothing more to lose.

So I rolled around the battlefield as if there was no tomorrow.

Digging traps, luring demons, and sometimes breaking through enemy lines with bare hands.

Even if broken bones pierce through the flesh, even if the rotten flesh is ripped out alive with Magi, even if you eat the dead first so as not to starve to death.

I killed the Witchbeast and lived as if there was no tomorrow.

It was my destiny to burn myself like a moth, and one day collapse and die on the battlefield.

And.

-hi.

I met a girl

-I am Maria. you are?

Like the dawn wetting the dawn, her silver hair shone brilliantly.

The intelligent eyes that shined beautifully with me in them.

And, the white, tender hand that reached out to me.

– Eugene, would you like to join Pentagram?

-···why?

The first meeting where doubts and doubts intersect.

The question that I asked in response to the warmth that was pushed out, she answered with a finely folded smile.

-Because you are the right person.

Like the warm warmth of early spring melting the winter forest.

Her voice became a tomorrow that I didn’t have.

My time, which had stopped, began to flow again after meeting her.

*

“Wow. This is Earth!”

After exiting the warp gate, Ensia jumped up and looked around.

The sky dyed gray.

Collapsed buildings and debris scattered everywhere.

Looking at the scenery that could hardly be called beautiful, she said with a bright smile like a morning star.

“It’s so gloomy!?”

Only Ensia was bright in the dusty ruins.

She said as she ran around the place where she didn’t even feel the presence of people.

“Professor! Is this your hometown?”

“yes.”

“Heeeng~ Is this a desolate place like this?”

“It used to be a pretty nice town.”

20 years ago.

Before the war broke out, this was a large city called ‘Seoul’.

It was the capital of a country, but war is a disaster that destroys cities regardless of size.

Seoul was reduced to ashes within a week of the outbreak of war.

“The destination is about 150 km from here. I need to get a car, so follow me.”

“Tea? What is tea?”

“It’s a means of transportation.”

I wanted to give you an accurate look, but I didn’t have to.

There was a city that was being rebuilt not far away, and it was bustling with people and vehicles.

The location is approximately near Seoul City Hall.

Those who survived were using the intact buildings as temporary shelters, and construction was in full swing to erect new buildings in places where rubble had been removed.

The Earth after the war was slowly but steadily being reconstructed.

“Wow, it’s amazing. It’s the first time I’ve been to a place like this!”

“It’s not much to see.”

It’s not a lie.

In fact, everything worth seeing during the war disappeared.

“It still looks full of energy. Is it because the war is over?”

“·······.”

There was hope on the faces of the people who came and went.

Although tired from the successive reconstruction work, both eyes were full of hope for a better future.

The person who lived only today without hope was now dreaming of tomorrow with hope.

“···let’s go.”

“Yes… Ah!”

However, the guy who was following me well fell into a different path again.

It seems that I found something else strange.

A sigh came to my heart, but I held it in.

Hey, it’s vacation now.

I couldn’t go back and was dragged here, so I’ll have to put up with this kind of spectacle.

“…But the reconstruction is faster than I thought.”

The last time I saw it, it was almost a wasteland.

Now, it has changed somewhat like a place where people live.

I looked at the panoramic view of the city again, but Ensia did not return even after time.

When I turned my head to look for it, I saw that the guy had been nailed in a daze in front of a plaza, casting his eyes at one place.

“Encia.”

Called but no answer

Her gaze was fixed on the stone statue erected in the plaza, and she was staring at it.

“·······.”

It was a stone statue of the six members of the Pentagram.

Maria. Patrick. Wolfgang. Kaya. Angela.

and me.

The stone statue, which retains the appearance of its heyday, was full of liveliness as if it would move alive at any moment.

The appearance overflowing with details in each feature was so majestic that he could be called a hero who protected the world.

“·······.”

And below that, a small tombstone was guarding its place surrounded by stone statues.

A short phrase was engraved in neat handwriting on the tombstone, which was carved out of marble, which is now a precious ore.

[Patrick] [Wolfgang] [Kaya] [Angela]

[And Maria and Eugene]

[In honor of the two most precious friends who led us]

“·······.”

It was just a small tombstone.

Perhaps, those guys built it.

Even though it was just an ordinary phrase, I couldn’t take my feet off the spot for a long time.

Is it a widow of the past, or is it a memory that can’t be separated.

Emotions soaking deep in my heart were unfamiliar to me, and I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut and dwell on them.

“It’s stupid…”

Did you make something like this when I told you to forget it?

Their foolishness was pictured in my mind.

I sighed, but I didn’t exhale.

I just quietly cast my gaze over the words on the tombstone.

Seruk-

Then, Ensia approached and joined hands.

Bow your head in front of your clasped hands and pray reverently.

“What are you doing?”

“I pray.”

The answering voice was soft and subdued, erasing the usual liveliness.

“I hope it all works out, and I’m praying for a little encouragement.”

“···is it.”

The sight of her quietly immersed in prayer with an untainted smile on her face reminded her that she was an angel, a clan of faith.

While Encia, immersed in piety, prayed, many people came to the plaza.

Regardless of age or sex, they bowed in front of the stone statue like Encia, or left flowers on rare occasions.

Each expression was different, but it was definitely a face expressing gratitude.

“·······.”

Watching it, I raised my magic power and created a single chrysanthemum flower.

Place a white glowing flower in front of the tombstone.

I engraved my heart into a line of writing.

Even though I couldn’t convey it, I wanted to leave it for them.

[For my precious friends who will live tomorrow]

*

Ensia and Kang Yujin, who escaped the city, found a car in good condition on the outskirts.

It’s broken, but it can be rolled with a little repair.

Yujin Kang used magic to straighten or connect broken or rusted parts.

It took a bit of magic, but it was simpler than fixing a person.

After completing the repairs and injecting mana into the engine, he drove toward Gangwon-do with Encia in the passenger seat.

“How long do I have to go like this?”

“I don’t know. There are very few good ways.”

Most of the roads were cut or destroyed during the war.

Kang Yoo-jin drove the car to a road deep in the mountains or some farm road, and the place was fine, but the journey was long, so Ensia, who was with him, had to yawn several times.

“Ugh. Why didn’t you connect the warp directly to the destination?”

“Well.”

Maybe it just meant to visit the city once.

Because Laniakea is sometimes considerate in strange parts.

“Heung…but my throat started to get sore. It’s a bit difficult to breathe…”

“It’s because of Magi.”

Gangwon-do is one of the areas originally covered with high concentrations of demonic energy.

Especially in the forest where Maria is located, the concentration of demonic energy soars to the ceiling as it approaches the destination.

As proof, Ensia’s complexion was getting worse and worse.

“Collock…collock…”

A dry cough escaped from his mouth.

Although she was an angel with strong resistance to demonic energy, because Ensia was still young, it was difficult to withstand such a high concentration of demonic energy.

Yujin Kang stretched out her hand and poured magic power into Encia’s head, who was coughing repeatedly.

“Cough Cough…Professor?”

“Stay still.”

The demonic energy that had penetrated the lungs was driven out, and mana was wrapped around the body so that breathing could filter out the demonic energy.

When the influence of Magi disappeared, the pale complexion began to regain its complexion.

It won’t last long, but it will function until you return to Helios.

“lol···.”

Feeling Kang Yoo-jin’s magical power, Ensia let out a smile on her reddened cheeks.

I was struggling with the light and gloomy magic of the earth and the thick magic.

Feeling Kang Yu-jin’s magical energy resembling the energy of a winter forest made her feel better.

“Professor… I’m sleepy…”

“Go to bed, it will take a long time.”

He drove away without looking back.

Even so, the seats were laid down and the air in the car was warmed up with mana so as not to catch a cold.

Lying on the soft sheet, she smiled.

“Hi-Hi···.”

Yujin Kang is always like this.

Even if you don’t seem to care, you take care of the other person without knowing it.

They don’t even ask for an answer, they just carelessly care.

In the hazy consciousness, Ensia smiled wrapped in warmth.

She really liked the professor’s nonchalant consideration.

·······.

“Yes···.”

How much time had passed since I left my body in the rattling car.

When I woke up, the car had already stopped and there was a thick forest with trees outside the car window.

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Judging from the densely grown trees, it seemed that we had already arrived at our destination.

Squeak-

“what.”

When I got up, the old black coat that covered me flowed down.

It was Kang Yu-jin’s coat, and it seemed that she covered it while she slept.

“·······.”

She glanced around, buried her face in her coat, and sniffed it.

Perhaps because she had worn it for a long time, the coat was strongly scented with Kang Yu-jin’s body odor.

“hehehe… Professor’s clothes smell like this.”

Do you think it resembles the scent of trees in a winter forest?

It’s a bit perverted, but it’s also strangely addictive.

“Hee hee. I’ll have to brag to Estelle when I get back.”

What kind of expression will the professor’s wish be made when he hears this?

Waiting for a mischievous laugh, Ensia looked around in search of Yujin Kang, who had disappeared.

As I got out of the car with my coat on, the roots of the trees I stepped on crunched and shattered.

The roots dripping black demonic energy seemed to scream as they were broken.

“Ugh…is it a true story of Magi concentration?”

What on earth had happened to expose me to such a high concentration of demonic energy?

Feeling goosebumps, she walked deep into the forest, clutching Kang Yujin’s coat.

“Write it. Ah. This way.”

This forest had nothing to say about the smell, and Kang Yoo-jin’s body odor was relatively strong.

As I crossed the dead forest, I saw Kang Yoo-jin’s back standing in front of a tree.

“Professor~”

Ensia, who ran and clung to his back, kicked the ball wildly.

As expected, there is something that makes you feel comfortable just by feeling Yujin Kang’s magical power.

“Uh huh?”

However, Yujin Kang, who would normally have told me to leave, didn’t respond much.

He kept his mouth shut and looked straight ahead.

“professor?”

When there was no answer when I called, she tilted her head and turned her head to follow Yujin Kang.

“·······.”

And Ensia, who looked at the same place, finally understood the reason why Kang Yu-jin stopped.

A tree stump covered with snow that has not yet melted.

Only there, in a field of white snow as if winter had fallen, a woman was lying on her back.

Eyes closed as if asleep, and dazzling silver hair flowing down in waves.

However, the body underneath was pathetically bruised.

Torn and cracked clothes and skin.

And the blood that flowed from there dried up black and covered the whole body.

And, in the heart of that slender body, a large silvery-white greatsword was wedged and shining dullly.

“this person is···?”

“Maria Lawrence.”

looking at the woman

Yujin Kang said in a still unsteady voice.

“A long-dead, my colleague.”