54 – break

A month has passed since I carried him. Today, as always, I carry him on my back and walk.

As we were walking endlessly on a plain where nothing could be seen, Rachel stopped. Stopping, she took out a stone with an unusual pattern from her bosom and thrust it into the air. The air where the stone touched shook and a huge hole formed in the air.

“You can follow Sister.”

She said and went inside. I followed her and went inside.

The scenery in the snow changed, the air at the end of the cold winter disappeared and a warm wind blew. Beyond that warm wind, a forest with soft light spread out.

“Sister, since we are all here, you just have to work hard.”

“yes.”

As she said that, the look in her eyes as she looked at me was filled with concern. I averted my eyes from those eyes that I didn’t know why, and moved on.

When I moved a little, an unpredictable energy approached me. Sensing the energy, he drew his sword and wrapped himself in mana.

“Sister, why are you suddenly like this?”

“A huge energy is approaching.”

“Ah, that must be the high priest.”

At her words, the mana was disturbed and the sword was inserted. Even so, the body did not let go of tension in response to the huge energy.

A huge energy quickly came towards us, and the trees in the forest parted, revealing the owner of the energy.

An old Dark Elf with a long white beard. Looking at the old man, for some reason, I felt a sense of alienation and deja vu.

The old man who gave me such a feeling looked at me and opened his mouth.

“Come on. Alik’s companion. I have a lot to tell you, but I don’t have much time, so I’ll do it later.”

As the old man said and gestured, a soft light hovering in the sky came down and enveloped us. Along with that light, I felt a sense of floating, and the light scattered.

The light scattered and the landscape of the forest disappeared, and a large white stone building appeared.

“Follow me in.”

The old man said so and entered the building. I followed the old man with Rachel.

After passing through the space filled with books, a room with a blue light appeared. The old man stopped in front of the black orb in the center of the room. As the old man gestured into the air, the sphere lost its shape and became like a bed.

“I need to check the condition, so let it go here.”

When the coffin holding him was placed on the bed, the blue light scattered from the coffin and permeated the bed. The old man put his hand on his head, and a blue light emanated from it.

“It’s the same as before. stupid guy.”

The old man muttered so softly, and removed his hand from his head. And the blue light scattered.

“High Priestess, is your brother okay?”

At Rachel’s question, the old man shook his head and denied it. The wounds that had not healed radiated pain again.

“Still, the worst averted.”

After saying that, the old man waved his hand again into the air, and blue berries flew from across the room. The blue fruit turned into a handful of liquid and went into his mouth.

A blue light lingered on his body, and the wounds that had been cut to the extent that his bones were visible began to heal. The wound that had begun to heal stopped when it barely covered the bone.

The burden that had been weighed down by that sight was lightened just a little bit.

“It’s not my field, so I haven’t completely cured it, but it will be enough that I won’t die.”

Those words eased the pain flowing from the wound.

“I need to take other steps, so everyone go out.”

“Then, I’ll wait outside.”

At those words, a small ripple appeared on the old man’s face, which was like a calm lake.

“I understand your concern for your partner, but please rest.”

“that’s right. Sister, you need to get some rest.”

“I am fine. I’ll be waiting outside.”

The old man sighed and gestured into the air. A cloud of blue light gathered in his hand, and it became a large mirror.

“Look at yourself.”

A mirror flew in front of me and reflected my image. Tousled hair and pale face. Dense darkness settled under the eyes. Cracked, cracked lips. Anyone who sees it looks like a sick person.

“I understand that you feel uncomfortable with your partner in this state, but do you think Alik will like it? I don’t think so.”

I can’t refute that.

“All right.”

The old man’s face calmed down again, and he waved his hand and issued a congratulatory order.

“If you understand, go out.”

Hearing that, he took heavy steps and went outside. As I went outside, Rachel grabbed my wrist. And eyes full of emotions looked at me.

“Sister. I know you’re having a hard time mentally, but the sister must be healthy so that the brother will be happy when he wakes up.”

“Yes, it is. I have been such a fool.”

I saw him all my life, I lived with him. My eyes are blinded by the weight of my guilt.

“Don’t blame yourself for that, let’s wash up first. There aren’t many days when I’ve washed properly while coming this far.”

Her serious voice returned to a bright voice. For some reason, that bright voice had the power to move my heart, and I nodded my head.

“Yes, then.”

As in the old days, her face was playful, and her hand, which was holding my wrist, led me.

“Hot water comes up from the ground here, and I’m sure you will like it, too.”

“yes. Don’t expect it.”

With her wrists grabbed, she was led to a large wooden building on the outskirts of town. Inside the wooden building, I was drawn into a smoky pond.

Unlike the hot smoke rising, the pond was moderately warm, not hot. The warmth soothed his tired body.

“Sister, how are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

A smile crept across her face at those words. Looking at her like that, small questions that I had been harboring for a long time came up. I put the questions I was reluctant to ask because I wasn’t close to her, thinking I could ask them now.

“Rachel, can I ask you a few questions?”

“of course. Ask anything.”

“Didn’t you say that you participated in the martial arts competition according to Kai’an-sama’s revelation and met him?”

“yes that’s right.”

“Then, was the revelation you received telling you to help him?”

“It’s not like that.”

She shook her head and replied. Seeing that figure, I put the doubt I had in my mouth until now.

“Then why do you follow him and help him?”

“Well. That’s it. Because you look a lot like my teacher.”

“Master?”

“Yes. Master. They were like my parents.”

Annoyance crept across her face.

“Did he and Alik look a lot alike?”

“We don’t have much resemblance in appearance, but our actions are very similar. The fact that he doesn’t give up even if it’s impossible, and he’s considerate while paying attention to even the smallest things. And it’s like not caring about your own body and worrying about others.”

“Right. Your teacher was a good man.”

“Yes. He was a good person. And he was a fool too.”

Her nostalgic words rang out, and a playfulness permeated her face.

“Then why did you ask such a thing all of a sudden? Are you worried that I might be liking you?”

“No, it’s not like that. I apologize if my question has tarnished your good will.”

After my words ended, laughter came out of her mouth. After laughing for a while, she finally stopped laughing and opened her mouth.

“It’s a joke. joke! Sister is very serious and rigid in everything.”

“is it?”

“Yes. So when I play around, I have a different taste than other people.”

When she said that, she let out a bad laugh. That smile I hated at first, for some reason I don’t hate it so much now.

“You haven’t shown it for a while, but you have a gloomy side, too.”

“This is the essence of our race. How are you?”

When she said that, she let out a big laugh. The sight made me laugh too. Laughing like that made me feel a little lighter.

“And so is your essence.”

“that’s right. So don’t hate me.”

“I never hated you. I’ve never felt bad about it.”

“Sister is too much.”

Seeing her puffing out her cheeks, laughter leaked out again.

“Why are you laughing? I am seriously angry.”

“Yeah, sorry. But I don’t think so now.”

“really?”

“then. Aren’t you also a comrade who shared life and death?”

“eww. Comrades are too rigid.”

“Well. is it? We give the best expression to comrades.”

“Your brother or sister will. Not us.”

“Then what do you guys call them?”

“We call them friends or colleagues.”

“My friend is like that.”

At that, she made a shocked expression.

“I was really hurt this time.”

“It didn’t mean that. I just said that because there is no concept of a friend in my life.”

“really? Isn’t that a lie?”

“yes. I can stake my honor.”

“Since you say so, I will believe you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

She smiled and opened her mouth.

“Then, I will be your first friend.”

“Yes, please.”

I was able to put my burdens down for a while, having such a silly conversation with her who cared about and helped me, who was being crushed by guilt.