3 – Farewell(2)

The place I woke up was neither heaven nor hell nor down the cliff. It was the ward of the Temple of Achates, with warm sunlight pouring through the windows.

There was no one else in the hospital bed, and I was the only one lying here. A nun was watering the potted plants by the window.

I said to the nun.

“How am I… how am I here?”

The nun looked back in amazement. As our eyes met, the nun opened her mouth after a moment of silence.

“Wait a minute.”

After the nun left, Sister Dolores, who had taken care of me since I was little, Priestess Azena, and Sister Yulan, the nun, came in.

As soon as Dolores confirmed that I had regained consciousness, she ran straight over and grabbed my hand and wept.

“You’re awake… I just thought you wouldn’t wake up forever. In the future, don’t do anything reckless again!”

“Sorry ⋯.”

said the nun.

“I’m really glad I woke up. You can’t imagine how worried we were. Goddess Acates has been looking after you.”

After that, the nun’s harsh reprimand continued. I could sense that he was reprimanding me out of affection, rather than out of resentment for simply causing trouble. I bowed my head and accepted their reprimand.

I was an orphan with nothing. It was a very grateful thing for me to take care of and pay attention to me who has no blood and has no stake in me.

After the admonition was over, I heard the full story of what had happened after I lost consciousness.

The priests said they contacted the retainers of the Pascal family after finding out that we were gone. Then some priests followed our trail along with their vassals.

When they found us, I was said to be lying close to a corpse.

“Liza did everything possible to save you.”

Liza forcibly revived my body, which should have been dead, by mobilizing all the herbs and healing magic around her. What surprised even the priests and vassals was that Liza alone did what even high-ranking mages could only do with the combined efforts of several people.

It is said that Reis drank my blood, struggled in pain, and escaped.

Reis said that drinking the blood of prey was her specialty. But no one knew why he had such a reaction after drinking my blood.

“I have nothing to say other than that I received the grace of the goddess.”

Sister Dolores added a word.

“On special days, we make food with holy water, and that might be the reason.”

The only attack that could work against Wraith was holy magic or holy water, so I could only see that the holy power had worked on my blood for some reason.

“Then what about Liza?”

When I asked about Liza, they all hesitated to answer. I could sense subtle air currents. It seemed that there was something reluctant to talk about.

“Liza left for the academy entrance exam.”

“Weren’t you preparing for admission next year?”

Normally, 17-year-olds were the standard for entering the academy, and Liza and I were 15. Even calculating the preparation period for admission, it was too early.

Dolores looked at me with pity.

“A lot happened to Liza while you were lying here.”

Lisa caused a lot of trouble and was no longer allowed to stay in Acates Temple. This was decided by the Pascal family.

“Liza decided to stay at the family estate and enter the academy early.”

It was like a thunderbolt of news to me. It seemed that the Pascal family had decided to completely isolate Liza and me. My heart ached at the unexpected farewell.

After 15 days, I fully recovered and started my daily routine again. It was thanks to the nuns’ sincere care.

I felt like I was going crazy because I wanted to see Liza. But I had to start to stand on my own in the true sense of the word. Liza, who had always been by my side, was no longer there. And with not much time left until my departure, I had to learn how to stand on my own without the care of Acates.

I started working again and gradually started to be recognized in the studio. I was paid formally, though not much. I only slept in the Lorail building and spent most of the day in the studio.

After a few months like that, I got a formal position as an apprentice in charge of chores. After that, I was able to make my own products under my name and deliver them to jewelry stores.

Then one day, a letter came from Liza.

Contrary to expectations, only the current situation was briefly written there.

She heard that I was conscious and told her not to worry about herself.

I passed the academy entrance exam at the top, and there was a senior academy student who helped me with magic lessons, and I got a lot of help from him. It was written that they became very close now and depended on each other.

And the letter ended with the words that he would visit the Acates Temple once during summer vacation.

I was happy to receive Liza’s letter, but after reading it, only a strangely empty feeling remained.

Unlike Liza, who usually treated me, I felt a sense of distance.

I tried to shake off my embarrassment, repeating that I wrote it briefly because I was busy or the house was heavily monitored or controlled.

I immediately wrote a reply and sent it. But winter, and the year passed, I turned 16, and even when the spring flowers were all gone, I couldn’t receive the next letter.

A corner of my chest felt empty.

In order to forget the emptiness, I became more engrossed in training my metalworking skills.

Summer came, and my dexterity increased quite a bit, so the number of people looking for my things increased one by one. I wasn’t rich, but I was able to earn enough income to put my mouth on my own.

One day, Sister Dolores caught me on the way to the studio and said,

“Liza said she would stop by here for a while during her vacation after the first semester.”

When I heard that, my heart skipped a beat. The thought of being able to meet Liza swelled with anticipation.

The next day, I spent all my time crafting a necklace for Liza.

The necklace decoration was modeled after Liza’s favorite Elcanto flower.

I waited for time to pass quickly.

And the long-awaited day when Lisa comes. That day, I didn’t go to the studio and waited for Liza.

A colorfully decorated carriage came from afar towards the temple, and the nuns and priests waiting for Liza welcomed her by waving their hands. I watched them from a distance behind them.

The carriage entered the garden of the temple and the door opened. The one who got off first was a tall-looking man. He was a very handsome man. He was at least one head taller than me, and his clothes were elegant. In every action, the dignity of aristocrats was buried. When some of the nuns saw him, they involuntarily exclaimed in admiration.

Liza took the man’s hand and got off.

Liza had become dazzlingly beautiful. Liza’s gestures and expressions were full of fresh energy. With well-groomed hair and flawless features, in a silvery silk dress, she seemed to be from another dimension.

Liza and the man greeted the people who welcomed them with bright faces. The solemn shrine was as if it were a festival scene.

It was the time of the reunion I had been looking forward to so much, but I hadn’t even thought of talking to it. I came wearing the best condition of the clothes I had, but it was the workshop work clothes that were flimsy at best. My palms and fingernails were covered with black oil stains that wouldn’t come off no matter how much I washed them.

Even while Lisa and the man were busy greeting each other, they did not let go of their clasped hands.

I froze on the spot. It felt like a weight had fallen on my chest. I left without even saying goodbye.

I left the temple and went out into the city streets. I wanted to throw everything off and run away from the world.

I sat by the fountain in the square and fiddled with the necklace I was planning to give to Liza all day long. I never had the courage to face them head on.

After the sun went down, I returned to the temple. No matter how long I had been out, all the lights were off in the temple.

I saw a silhouette standing alone in the temple garden. The silhouette saw me and jumped right in front of me.

The owner of the silhouette was Liza.

“You’re here. where did you go I thought you couldn’t see.”

Seeing Liza gave me an ominous feeling. I averted her gaze.

“… … hi.”

“I’m so glad you look healthy,”

I consciously treated her coldly.

“… … yes. Who were you waiting for?”

“Of course you are. I have a story I really want to tell you. I wonder how you’ve been Let’s walk for a while and talk.”

We came out of the temple and headed for the path we always took for a walk since childhood. There, the moonlight was softly illuminating the road.

We walked this road together like in the past, but I felt a strange sense of distance from Liza. If it was Liza from a year ago, she would have run to me and hugged me as soon as she saw me. Now she doesn’t hold my hand like before or ask me to hug her.

We talked about each other’s current situation.

“Are you doing well in the studio? Do you still work at the workshop?”

“Yeah, now that I’m getting some recognition, I can sell things with my name on it.”

“Good.”

“Liza, what about you?”

“I like it all. I entered the Faculty of Magic at Eternia Academy. I was lucky enough to be the top student this semester.”

“congratulation.”

“… And while I was in school, I met someone I liked.”

“… … .”

My heart sat down heavily.

“I’m sorry for saying something strange all of a sudden. If you were at the temple during the day, I could have met you. It was a pity that I couldn’t introduce you to senior Elliott.”

“… … .”

“I had good feelings with senior Elliott throughout the semester and decided to date a while ago.”

I’ve been feeling it ever since I saw them coming here and not letting go of each other’s hands. I was just denying and avoiding this fact.

“You seem like a nice person.”

“yes. The senior came to visit me as a guest when I was staying at the family’s mansion after leaving the Shincheonji Lorail Hall. We became close when we learned that he was from Eternia. The senior stayed at the mansion and helped me a lot in preparing for the entrance exam.”

“… … .”

“Senior Elliot knows what kind of person my uncle is, and he protected me. He’s the eldest son of the Felton family, so even my uncle can’t mess with him. Even now, I was able to come here because of you.”

Duke Darren Felton, head of the Felton family, was now in the position of leader of the Imperial Knights. Eliot was the heir to a prestigious family that boasted the greatest power in name and reality.

A position I will never reach. People who live in a different world than me.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly and saying strange things. Still, I had to say this.”

The reason Liza waited for me until night was to sort things out with me.

“… Can you tell me why?”

“Why… ?”

“Why did you change your mind?”

It’s a lame question, but I really wanted to hear it. If you listen to all the reasons, even if it hurts right now, you will be able to understand it someday. My mother left me without giving a reason and I suffered for a long time because of it.

“… … Should I listen?”

“yes. I have to listen.”

Lisa thought for a long time before opening her mouth.

“Everything has changed since then. It’s my fault that you almost died. You wouldn’t have been hurt if I hadn’t insisted on going to find the star fragment.”

“… … .”

“You tried your best to protect me, but in the end you almost lost your life. Luckily, the race eventually backed out, but under normal circumstances we would all be dead.”

“It was then that I realized the reality. If I only cling to memories and emotions, I won’t be able to move anywhere, and in the end, both of us will have a hard time. I thought about what it would be like if there were seniors in the place where you were. If you were my senior, you would have defeated the race and stayed with me until the end, eventually finding the star fragment. A senior is someone who is strong and reliable enough to do that.”

“… … .”

“Above all, you can’t stay by my side anymore, but you can.”

“… … .”

“Sorry.”

When I heard it, it seemed so natural.

I was a fool. In a corner of my heart, I expected Liza to be able to keep our love firm no matter what adversity. It was impossible to maintain a liking while ignoring all differences in social status, physical distance, wealth and talent.

Anyone in Liza’s position would have made the same choice.

The only thing I had more than that man was the memory of Liza. Liza’s life was blooming brilliantly, and the days ahead were long. In the future, in better conditions, in a better environment, meeting better people, and having better experiences, the memories and attachments of childhood will be overwritten with other memories.

And that was good for Liza.

It hurt so much, but now I can accept it enough.

My part in Liza’s life is over.