Chapter 139: Contract of Regression (2)
When Eutenia opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a dazzling white space.
The floor was made of clouds, and on it were countless plants.
Birds chirped and welcomed Eutenia from above.
The only thought that came to Eutenia’s mind as she faced the dreamlike scenery around her was one word.
Divine Realm
It was a place that anyone would call heaven if they saw it for the first time.
“Ah…”
Eutenia let out a small sigh of admiration as she engraved the sights in her eyes one by one.
She had seen many unique landscapes while going through the trials of shadows, but the place where she stood was much more amazing than that.
Eutenia’s heart was filled with gratitude as she admired the surroundings.
She had finally returned to His embrace after fighting for Him.
That was the thought that filled Eutenia’s mind.
“O Great One…”
As Eutenia was about to kneel down and pray with emotion, she felt a presence behind her and turned around.
“You have a good eye.”
“Anyone would think so.”
“Really?”
“But Estelle… where is the Great One?”
Eutenia asked, eager to meet her master as soon as possible.
But this time, Estelle made a troubled expression.
She shook her head and denied Eutenia’s words.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t meet him right now.”
“Why not…?”
“He’s still preparing for the meeting.”
Eutenia felt disappointed.
She wanted to face the great being directly, but it seemed that she was not allowed yet.
Estelle said that and got up from her seat.
Eutenia’s eyes followed Estelle as she rose.
“Is that all you want to ask?”
“It’s a pity. I had many more questions.”
“You’ll have plenty of time and opportunities to learn the truth of the world later.”
“The truth of the world…”
Estelle moved through the clouds and put her hand on Eutenia’s head.
A cluster of light poured out from Estelle’s hand on Eutenia’s head.
Eutenia closed her eyes at the dazzling light that burst out above her.
Then, Estelle’s voice flowed into her ears.
“The Great One you revere has given you a gift. He paid a huge price for it.”
“A gift…?”
“You’re going back to the earth. You still have a lot of things to do.”
Ah.
A short sigh came out of Eutenia’s mouth.
She had vaguely guessed that she was dead.
But she never thought that she could come back to life.
Going back to the earth.
Eutenia’s face darkened as she recalled the sight of the earth.
“I see.”
It was a regrettable thing to leave without seeing the great being.
But if it was his command, Eutenia had no reason not to obey.
She still had a lot of things to do.
Estelle’s words were true, and they would be in the future.
She nodded her head and Estelle tapped her head lightly and continued.
“And besides that, I’ll give you one more personal gift.”
“A gift…?”
“This is my gift to you.”
Eutenia opened her eyes and looked at Estelle, who said that.
She found a black cloak in her hand.
The cloak felt extraordinary in her touch.
“What is this…?”
“It’s a rare item. I was going to use a different method, but I think it’s fine for now.”
“It’s a good item. Thank you.”
Estelle’s hand stroked Eutenia’s hair, who thanked her.
It was a strange feeling.
The girl, who looked shorter than her, was patting her head.
But she didn’t mind it.
Estelle advised Eutenia, who stroked her head.
“You have to keep moving. The Great One you love trusts you the most.”
“…”
“You have to dedicate the whole world to the one you love the most. Then, the great god will descend on the earth. You can do it, right?”
“The whole world…”
Eutenia had already decided to give everything to the great being.
People.
The world.
And anything beyond that, they didn’t matter to Eutenia.
But she had to think a little about whether it was possible for her.
“I’ll try my best.”
“Of course, you can do anything.”
Nod.
Eutenia nodded in agreement.
And right after that, her fingers that reflected in Eutenia’s eyes began to blur.
Eutenia was startled by the sudden change, and Estelle’s eyes looked at Eutenia, who was slowly disappearing.
“It looks like time is almost up.”
“What do you mean by time is up…?”
“It’s time to go back to where you came from.”
It meant that she didn’t have much time left to talk with Estelle.
It was time to wake up from the dream and return to the original reality.
Eutenia, who was fading away with the cloak, asked Estelle one more question.
“Estelle… can I ask you one last question?”
“If it’s only one, it’s okay.”
“What does he think of you?”
I felt my consciousness fading away.
But I wanted to hear Estelle’s answer to this question.
Estelle looked at me with the same curious eyes as before.
She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully.
“Me? I’m probably…”
“Probably…?”
“An unwelcome guest who’s not unpleasant.”
That was our last conversation.
Thud.
My consciousness went dark.
* * * * * *
“……”
I returned to the ground with my floating consciousness.
When I opened my eyes, I didn’t see the paradise above the clouds that I had seen before.
Instead, I saw Peter, who was holding a sword stuck in the ground and bowing his head.
My eyes scanned his figure slowly.
He was holding a blood-red sword and sleeping with a weary face.
My hand gently stroked his cheek as I looked at him.
“You became an apostle.”
Our relationship would never be the same.
I couldn’t play cruel jokes on him like I used to, since he was now an apostle like me.
I felt a bit of regret.
But I also had some idea of what was going on.
I couldn’t stay like this forever.
If Peter had refused to become a great being until the end, I would have had to deal with him myself.
“It’s a bit wicked that you lied about being a hero.”
I smirked and got up from my seat, looking at the sleeping Peter.
The pain in my shoulder and abdomen was gone.
Through the hole in my robe, I could see the healed wound.
As Estelle said, I had returned to the ground.
I received the grace of the great being and was granted a second life.
I was enjoying a glory that ordinary humans couldn’t even imagine.
“Still, thank you.”
Flap.
I put on the black cloak that Estelle gave me and looked around the rocky mountain.
Arein Crost, who fought me here, was gone.
The great being intervened after Peter became an apostle, so it wasn’t strange that Arein retreated.
Knights and magicians were not omnipotent.
No matter how strong they were, they couldn’t defeat a god.
“I also thank you, great one. You always watch over me, give me my daily bread, and help me overcome any adversity…”
I looked up at the sky.
The sun had already set and a bright moon was rising in the sky.
A lot of time had passed since I collapsed.
The blazing sun had disappeared beyond the horizon, and now only countless twinkling stars remained in the sky.
Under the beautiful night sky, I reached out to the sky.
“……Thank you always.”
Chasing the shining stars in the distant sky, I was here.
To dedicate everything in this world to him.
To devote myself to the greatest cause.
For that alone, I decided to bear all the evil in the world.
I stained my hands with blood.
And I would stain them more with blood in the future.
“Life…”
A short prayer escaped from my lips as I looked at the sky.
I reached out higher to the vast night sky.
I wanted to touch something higher, even if I had to stand on tiptoe.
I reached out higher for someone I revered.
“——Life. Build a staircase.”
Beyond my outstretched hand, I saw the bright North Star shining in my eyes.
I longed for the sky.
To reach someone beyond it, I had to keep getting stronger.
To never repeat today’s disgrace.
Chapter 139: Contract of Regression (2)
When Eutenia opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a dazzling white space.
The floor was made of clouds, and on it were countless plants.
Birds chirped and welcomed Eutenia from above.
The only thought that came to Eutenia’s mind as she faced the dreamlike scenery around her was one word.
Divine Realm
It was a place that anyone would call heaven if they saw it for the first time.
“Ah…”
Eutenia let out a small sigh of admiration as she engraved the sights in her eyes one by one.
She had seen many unique landscapes while going through the trials of shadows, but the place where she stood was much more amazing than that.
Eutenia’s heart was filled with gratitude as she admired the surroundings.
She had finally returned to His embrace after fighting for Him.
That was the thought that filled Eutenia’s mind.
“O Great One…”
As Eutenia was about to kneel down and pray with emotion, she felt a presence behind her and turned around.
“You have a good eye.”
“Anyone would think so.”
“Really?”
“But Estelle… where is the Great One?”
Eutenia asked, eager to meet her master as soon as possible.
But this time, Estelle made a troubled expression.
She shook her head and denied Eutenia’s words.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t meet him right now.”
“Why not…?”
“He’s still preparing for the meeting.”
Eutenia felt disappointed.
She wanted to face the great being directly, but it seemed that she was not allowed yet.
Estelle said that and got up from her seat.
Eutenia’s eyes followed Estelle as she rose.
“Is that all you want to ask?”
“It’s a pity. I had many more questions.”
“You’ll have plenty of time and opportunities to learn the truth of the world later.”
“The truth of the world…”
Estelle moved through the clouds and put her hand on Eutenia’s head.
A cluster of light poured out from Estelle’s hand on Eutenia’s head.
Eutenia closed her eyes at the dazzling light that burst out above her.
Then, Estelle’s voice flowed into her ears.
“The Great One you revere has given you a gift. He paid a huge price for it.”
“A gift…?”
“You’re going back to the earth. You still have a lot of things to do.”
Ah.
A short sigh came out of Eutenia’s mouth.
She had vaguely guessed that she was dead.
But she never thought that she could come back to life.
Going back to the earth.
Eutenia’s face darkened as she recalled the sight of the earth.
“I see.”
It was a regrettable thing to leave without seeing the great being.
But if it was his command, Eutenia had no reason not to obey.
She still had a lot of things to do.
Estelle’s words were true, and they would be in the future.
She nodded her head and Estelle tapped her head lightly and continued.
“And besides that, I’ll give you one more personal gift.”
“A gift…?”
“This is my gift to you.”
Eutenia opened her eyes and looked at Estelle, who said that.
She found a black cloak in her hand.
The cloak felt extraordinary in her touch.
“What is this…?”
“It’s a rare item. I was going to use a different method, but I think it’s fine for now.”
“It’s a good item. Thank you.”
Estelle’s hand stroked Eutenia’s hair, who thanked her.
It was a strange feeling.
The girl, who looked shorter than her, was patting her head.
But she didn’t mind it.
Estelle advised Eutenia, who stroked her head.
“You have to keep moving. The Great One you love trusts you the most.”
“…”
“You have to dedicate the whole world to the one you love the most. Then, the great god will descend on the earth. You can do it, right?”
“The whole world…”
Eutenia had already decided to give everything to the great being.
People.
The world.
And anything beyond that, they didn’t matter to Eutenia.
But she had to think a little about whether it was possible for her.
“I’ll try my best.”
“Of course, you can do anything.”
Nod.
Eutenia nodded in agreement.
And right after that, her fingers that reflected in Eutenia’s eyes began to blur.
Eutenia was startled by the sudden change, and Estelle’s eyes looked at Eutenia, who was slowly disappearing.
“It looks like time is almost up.”
“What do you mean by time is up…?”
“It’s time to go back to where you came from.”
It meant that she didn’t have much time left to talk with Estelle.
It was time to wake up from the dream and return to the original reality.
Eutenia, who was fading away with the cloak, asked Estelle one more question.
“Estelle… can I ask you one last question?”
“If it’s only one, it’s okay.”
“What does he think of you?”
I felt my consciousness fading away.
But I wanted to hear Estelle’s answer to this question.
Estelle looked at me with the same curious eyes as before.
She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully.
“Me? I’m probably…”
“Probably…?”
“An unwelcome guest who’s not unpleasant.”
That was our last conversation.
Thud.
My consciousness went dark.
* * * * * *
“……”
I returned to the ground with my floating consciousness.
When I opened my eyes, I didn’t see the paradise above the clouds that I had seen before.
Instead, I saw Peter, who was holding a sword stuck in the ground and bowing his head.
My eyes scanned his figure slowly.
He was holding a blood-red sword and sleeping with a weary face.
My hand gently stroked his cheek as I looked at him.
“You became an apostle.”
Our relationship would never be the same.
I couldn’t play cruel jokes on him like I used to, since he was now an apostle like me.
I felt a bit of regret.
But I also had some idea of what was going on.
I couldn’t stay like this forever.
If Peter had refused to become a great being until the end, I would have had to deal with him myself.
“It’s a bit wicked that you lied about being a hero.”
I smirked and got up from my seat, looking at the sleeping Peter.
The pain in my shoulder and abdomen was gone.
Through the hole in my robe, I could see the healed wound.
As Estelle said, I had returned to the ground.
I received the grace of the great being and was granted a second life.
I was enjoying a glory that ordinary humans couldn’t even imagine.
“Still, thank you.”
Flap.
I put on the black cloak that Estelle gave me and looked around the rocky mountain.
Arein Crost, who fought me here, was gone.
The great being intervened after Peter became an apostle, so it wasn’t strange that Arein retreated.
Knights and magicians were not omnipotent.
No matter how strong they were, they couldn’t defeat a god.
“I also thank you, great one. You always watch over me, give me my daily bread, and help me overcome any adversity…”
I looked up at the sky.
The sun had already set and a bright moon was rising in the sky.
A lot of time had passed since I collapsed.
The blazing sun had disappeared beyond the horizon, and now only countless twinkling stars remained in the sky.
Under the beautiful night sky, I reached out to the sky.
“……Thank you always.”
Chasing the shining stars in the distant sky, I was here.
To dedicate everything in this world to him.
To devote myself to the greatest cause.
For that alone, I decided to bear all the evil in the world.
I stained my hands with blood.
And I would stain them more with blood in the future.
“Life…”
A short prayer escaped from my lips as I looked at the sky.
I reached out higher to the vast night sky.
I wanted to touch something higher, even if I had to stand on tiptoe.
I reached out higher for someone I revered.
“——Life. Build a staircase.”
Beyond my outstretched hand, I saw the bright North Star shining in my eyes.
I longed for the sky.
To reach someone beyond it, I had to keep getting stronger.
To never repeat today’s disgrace.
