Tap!
Tap!
Perhaps it's because it's underground.
The sound of water droplets falling echoes from somewhere.
Drip.
The footsteps, muffled by the sound of water droplets. Alois, sensing the presence of someone approaching cautiously, slowly raises his head.
Had he fallen asleep while crying out in anguish?
His body felt drained, devoid of any strength.
His throat burned as if it might tear from the curses he had hurled at God and Isaac.
Yet, what came into clear view was a woman.
Her crimson hair glowed like the setting sun, her skin was scaly and hard in places, and her ears were spread out like wings.
Not to mention, she had the tail of a lizard.
Alois quickly realized she was one of the Transcendents currently causing a stir in the kingdom.
"Alois of Helmut."
Her voice was thick and sticky.
Alois, being a Helmut himself, instinctively sensed danger.
"..."
The light in Alois's eyes dimmed. He didn't respond, but the woman continued without concern.
"I am Rizel. As you can see, I'm a Transcendent."
Rizel smiled, placing the tip of her lizard tail on her palm.
Though her appearance was unique, it mattered little to Alois at the moment.
"We Transcendents have a great interest in Helmut. Did you know that?"
"…Interest?"
"Because you're different from ordinary humans. I believe Helmut deserves such recognition."
It didn't sound particularly strange.
It was only natural for Helmut to be treated with respect wherever they went.
"You have quite the silver tongue."
But right now, Alois was nothing more than a criminal.
The fact that she had come to him meant she had an agenda, and in his current state, he'd even join hands with the devil to stop it.
Alois was waiting for her to get to the point.
Perhaps sensing this.
Like a parent telling a child to wait before eating a cake placed in front of them, Rizel smiled and whispered.
"You want revenge, don't you?"
"..."
"Against Isaac. Our goals happen to align unintentionally."
"Align, you say?"
"Isaac has laid hands on someone he shouldn't have."
The Primordial Transcendents.
Even the lineage of the Sword Demon.
The other Sword Demons were furious, vowing to kill Isaac and the Grand Master.
"Well, you don't need to know the details. But I want to offer you an opportunity."
"A chance to kill Isaac?"
The moment Rizel nodded slightly.
The corner of Alois's mouth twisted into a grin.
"If I can kill that bastard, I'd sell my soul."
It was also said that Liana Helmut was on her way.
"And I'll crush him, chew him up, and claim my sister."
Alois, believing his last chance had come, smiled brightly and accepted Rizel's offer.
In an instant, shadows engulfed his body, pulling him into the darkness.
***
"..."
A tombstone, simple yet dignified, placed so the deceased could rest in peace.
[The times we shared were truly joyful, my friend.]
The epitaph, engraved in Isaac's handwriting.
Standing before Millie's tombstone, finally erected in Evergard, Isaac felt a surge of emotion.
"I don't know if I should even ask this."
Crouching in front of the tombstone.
As if facing Millie herself, Isaac held back his tears and whispered.
"Are you at peace there? I hope you've found some comfort, after all the exhaustion from the fierce competition."
It was a bitter sigh.
Though he knew others were waiting for him in the distance, Isaac slowly knelt down.
Placing his hand on the tombstone as if calling out to Millie, he finally couldn't hold back his tears.
"Is the reason my grief won't fade because I lost both my dream and my friend?"
Someday in the distant future.
If he ever made a lot of money, his first priority would be to bring Millie back. He wanted her family to come and live with them too.
He didn't know how to make that money.
He didn't know when it would be possible.
He didn't even know where they would live.
It was, frankly, closer to a delusion than a dream.
Yet, the sense of loss was indescribable.
"I'll return this to you. It's my gift, after all."
Placing the last portrait he had drawn of Millie on the tombstone, Isaac wiped his tears and slowly stood up.
"I'll come again, my friend."
With that, he turned his back.
Outside, Silverna and Liana, who had been waiting, naturally didn't look pleased.
Both of them offered handkerchiefs at the same time, but Isaac gestured to decline, trying his best to act as if nothing was wrong.
"Let's go."
Now, another farewell awaited Isaac.
***
It was a church.
A small, shabby, and humble church.
Ironically, it was the perfect place for a divorce—a process that couldn't be openly announced to others.
A nun came out to greet the three who had arrived.
The faint wrinkles on her face revealed her age, but the smile on her lips and her bright demeanor made her appear youthful.
"I'll wait here."
Silverna, an outsider, crossed her arms and decided to wait outside the church.
Leaving her behind, as they walked through the churchyard, the nun casually asked the two,
"Do you happen to know Jonathan? He's a knight in Helmut now…"
The question was so sudden that Isaac was momentarily taken aback, but his eyes widened as he asked in return,
"Are you the nun who raised Jonathan?"
"Yes! Did Jonathan talk about me? Is he doing well? That child was always so unique…"
Jonathan, who had lived in a church.
Though it wasn't this particular church, it seemed the nun had moved here at some point.
"He's doing well. As a knight of Helmut, he fulfilled his duties admirably during the recent Great Colony incident."
"Is that so? Ah, that's a relief. Thank you so much."
Seeing the nun's joy, Isaac couldn't help but smile as well.
Jonathan, who had once been bullied.
But after Sharen in the north severely reprimanded the knights and Jonathan distinguished himself during the Bricalla hunt, he no longer faced discrimination or harassment.
Though it still seemed difficult for him to suppress his Transcendent instincts.
Creak.
The two entered the church.
Inside, a bishop and the princess, who had arrived ahead of them, were waiting.
Isaac glanced at Liana.
Her expression was blank as she followed behind, and no emotion could be read from her.
As the two stood before the bishop, he cleared his throat and began solemnly.
"Marriage is a sacred and beautiful vow, ordained by God."
"..."
"..."
"The two of you have judged that you can no longer continue this marital relationship and have gathered here to pray before God."
The candlelight flickered.
In the silence, only the bishop's voice echoed.
"Remember, those who have chosen to part ways. From now on, you must seek God's guidance and live humbly. After today's ceremony, you must live cleanly, seeking God's mercy in your separate lives."
As the bishop spoke,
Suddenly, fragments of the past flashed through Isaac's mind.
[I want to cross the river.]
An unexpected first greeting.
[You'll be there, won't you?]
A somewhat prepared flirtation.
[Let's get married.]
An equally unexpected proposal.
[I want you.]
The sight of the river splitting, which had changed his life's values.
[Lia, the purple lilac symbolizes first love.]
A single flower that spoke for his heart.
Despite all the memories that had piled up, the destination they had reached was here.
The bitterness turned into a sharp, aching pain.
"You, Isaac Helmut. Before God, do you acknowledge that you must now lay down the vow you made and walk your separate paths?"
At the bishop's question, Isaac felt something catch in his throat.
Yet, he had vowed to live this life differently.
His feelings for Liana were no longer what they once were.
"Yes, I acknowledge it."
With a faint tremor, Isaac declared.
"You, Liana Helmut. Before God, do you acknowledge that you must now lay down the vow you made and walk your separate paths?"
"..."
A brief silence.
But it didn't last long.
"Yes."
Calmly, as usual.
"I acknowledge it."
Liana declared indifferently.
"Then, we shall proceed with the Severance Ring. Please face each other."
The Severance Ring, derived from the words "severance," "release," and "ring," symbolized the act of cutting ties and dissolving the bond.
The act of exchanging the wedding rings that the couple had shared as a symbol of their vows.
A pledge signifying that they had completely parted ways.
Slowly, the two faced each other.
When Isaac cautiously extended his hand, Liana placed her left hand on top of his.
A rough, shabby, and worn-out ring.
"..."
He carefully removed it.
This time, in reverse.
Liana extended her hand.
Her palm rested gently on his.
Very slowly and carefully, Liana removed the ring.
The wedding ring didn't come off as easily as expected, but eventually, it left her hand.
"Witnesses! Clarice Evangel Legardia and Helia Bell shall testify to this divorce today!"
Raising both hands, the bishop solemnly declared,
"Now! By the power and holy name of God, I declare! The two are no longer husband and wife! Their union is hereby dissolved on this day!"
Isaac's empty left hand felt unusually light, yet heavy at the same time.
The pouch containing Liana's ring had a stinging sensation.
Unconsciously, he had bowed his head, but as he slowly raised it, he saw Liana standing there, her fists clenched tightly.
"Ah, Isaac—"
She had tried to hold it in, but in the end—
"I'm sorry."
Tears streaming down her face, Liana apologized.
"I'm really, really sorry."
"Liana…"
"Hic! I—I couldn't do more for you—"
Her tears poured out.
"I let everything end like this—"
Isaac didn't know what to say.
Isaac didn't know.
Before he realized it,
He had pulled her into an embrace.
And Liana, too, leaned into him, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Hic! Isaac, I'm sorry. I couldn't take better care of you! I—I couldn't do anything for you—! I'm so sorry!"
Feeling as though his heart was being crushed, Isaac finally closed his eyes tightly.
It was more accurate to say he couldn't bear to look at her.
"Please… be happy. You must… be happy."
"I will, Liana."
"Isaac, you know… being your wife, it was truly, truly—"
Through heated breaths,
Through tears,
She confessed.
"…I was happy."
***
Creak! Creak!
As the sunset slowly began to fade.
Isaac, who was about to finish work for the day, was rowing his boat with his last passenger.
The last passenger, with crimson eyes, was staring blankly at the river.
"Hey, Isaac."
"I've told you so many times not to call me while I'm rowing. It's hard to focus."
Despite Isaac's complaint, Liana showed no reaction and continued asking.
"What kind of life do you want after you get married?"
"…?!"
Startled, Isaac nearly let go of the oars, his eyes widening in shock.
"Are you proposing to me right now?!"
Liana flailed her hands in surprise at his words.
"N-No! I was just curious! I've been receiving a lot of marriage proposals lately."
Marriage proposals.
Isaac felt a strange sense of jealousy but pretended not to care as he resumed rowing.
"Well, I'd probably live an ordinary life."
"An ordinary life…?"
"A couple living peacefully, happily together. Having kids, raising them. Sometimes bickering, but eventually talking things out and making up."
"..."
As if listening to a fairy tale.
Liana's eyes widened as she listened intently to Isaac's words.
"If our kid comes home crying because someone hit them, we'd go teach that kid a lesson together. And when they finally say they don't want to sleep with Mom and Dad anymore, we'd make them their own room."
"..."
"That's roughly how I imagine it."
Isaac shrugged.
To that, Liana calmly replied.
"I don't think it would always be good times."
For once, the noble lady was speaking the truth.
Isaac smiled and rowed the boat with vigor.
"Yeah, it won't always be good times."
"…But?"
"If you're living with someone you love, wouldn't you just smile through it all?"
"..."
Hearing that, Liana didn't say anything more.
She simply clasped her hands together and closed her eyes gently.
It looked as though she was dreaming, or perhaps imagining such days.
Then, softly.
"Ah."
With a smile, she whispered.
"That sounds… really happy."