Pitter-patter, drip.
Consciousness slowly surfaced above the water.
Tashian Pheloi imdiately realized that the sound accompanying it was the sound of her body collapsing.
She had always imagined that after everything, her body would collapse, and only worthless fragnts would be buried within.
The irony was that she wasn’t the one leading that process.
“Is everything over?”
Even so, she, who had beco aware of her own existence, took ti to assess the situation by circling the pile of ashes.
She lost consciousness due to a surprise attack from behind, being manipulated against her will.
And all of it was thwarted by the man she had chosen.
The ghost of the child, who claid to be the dragon’s reverse scale, was finally defeated by the hands of the man who inherited the child’s will.
“If everything is over, then why…?”
Why was she still remaining in this world despite that?
Even if one was bound to this world as long as the promise was not fulfilled, the condition of the contract was to clearly determine the victory or defeat with the subject.
As much as she had set that standard based on the traces left by her greatest enemy, the undead would not be an exception to that standard.
If the regret clearly lay with that child, she, who had resolved to accept it, should have acknowledged defeat and disappeared the mont she was backstabbed.
“Ah, aaaaaah!!”
Around the ti she felt such doubt, a voice ca from afar.
Tashian Pheloi’s gaze, unable to overlook that voice, quickly started moving toward the source of the sound.
Her vision was blurred by the ash carried by the wind, but still, she did not hesitate to proceed.
Because she always wanted to rember.
For that, she used the child’s na and endlessly refined it with her own hands for over half a century.
“It hurts, it huuurts…!!!”
Chasing such familiarity, she ca face-to-face with the sight of a dead soul wailing, buried in the ashes.
However, most of the body, including the upper part of the head, had disappeared, leaving only the upper part of the torso and one arm that was only partially regenerated.
Of course, it would be impossible to be alive, let alone feel pain in such a state.
The voice heard now was likely nothing more than the regrets left behind by the living, expressed in response to the remaining magical power.
“Mom, Moooom. Where are you…? I’m in pain, it hurts so much!!!”
But how could she ignore that sound?
If what was uttered from those lips was the most vivid regret of a lifeti, then it also ant that it actually happened in the past.
“I’m so… scared. Everyone, they’re trying to kill . Mom, save …”
No matter how noble the end of that life was, if the most vivid mory was of being abandoned in childhood.
All the words being uttered now must an they were repeated back then as well.
“Please, tell . Why do I have to suffer this…? Say sothing, anything. Mom…”
Even with such dreadful screams stirring her heart, Tashian Pheloi wanted to head towards that place, breaking through the ashes.
It was just a clone, after all.
Even knowing it was nothing more than the ramblings of a dead soul that couldn’t even beco a spirit.
“Is it a human child that was abandoned? Well, I’m a wandering soul anyway, so this might be alright.”
Just by looking at that figure.
The image of that child, buried in her mories, ca to mind.
“Maa.”
“What did you say?”
“Mow, Maa~ Ma, Ma!”
“Heh, look at this; do you think I’m your mom?”
“Mama!”
At that ti, she did not know.
That such a trivial beginning would create the roots of the feelings she has now.
“Now, try to say it. Tashian Pheloi.”
“…Dda?”
“Not ‘dda’, Tashian.”
“Dda… Ddajyan.”
“No…”
“Ddajiyan Phinyoi! Ddajiyan!”
“…Now that I think about it, did I not give you a na?”
Everything was awkward because it was all a first, and much was glossed over casually.
But looking back, even that could be called a mory.
Perhaps the relationship with that child was more comfortable because it didn’t need to be perfect.
“Mom, look at this!”
That was the reason she gave the child a gift that day.
Because the sight of the child engrossed in a fairy tale she happened to hear during her wandering life was very pleasing to see.
“Do I look good?”
“It suits you well.”
“Do I really look like a hero?!”
Hero.
The word used by the human who told the story back then to refer to a hero who defeats evil beings.
The child was particularly interested in that word and would recite her admiration for heroes every day.
“Hmm, maybe for now?”
“Why do you answer like that? Do you think I can’t beco a hero, Mom?”
“Not at all. It’s rather because I think you can beco anything.”
“…Anything?”
“Since you’re still young, you can do anything, and that ans you have the potential to beco anything you wish for.”
It was a sincere statent.
At that ti, she truly intended to spend the rest of her life with her, wanting to watch over her.
So, no matter which path that child chose, she decided to help…
“It’s ti to end this. This long funeral as well.”
So that her own regrets no longer taint that child’s death, she carried the sins she had committed in her heart, preparing to embrace even the grave that would soon appear before her.
At the sa ti. In the plains located in the center of the continent.
Amidst the fierce battle between the Demon King’s army and the Undead Legion over the expansion of power, the Blue Knight, who was fighting the enemy’s general at the forefront, stopped swinging his sword.
Because he sensed sothing was off in the signal sent by his master, the Corpse Lord, who was commanding the main force.
“…Why stop fighting all of a sudden?”
The opponent, seemingly concerned by such behavior, stood still and heightened his vigilance.
Even though they had been fiercely fighting until a mont ago, from the mont he sensed sothing was off, the murderous intent directed at him gradually dulled.
A very calm deanor for a high-ranking officer of the aggressively militant Demon King’s army.
This was invariably applied in his assessnt of the person before him as well.
“The direction you’re looking is where the ruler of the force you belong to is located… Has sothing happened?”
There was no sign of the Demon King’s army directly invading.
Rather, the army on the opposite side of where he was fighting, led by their officer, was in disarray due to another of the Four Knights.
“…No, continue.”
So, thinking calmly, it would be right to hold this position and create an opportunity to solidify the advantage gained on the other front.
It was rely that sothing happened that could emotionally shake her.
Even though sothing odd occurred, she didn’t request a retreat, so the priority now was to drive away the enemies.
“Is acting in your lord’s interest more honorable than a duel to the death?”
As he made that decision and raised his weapon, the opponent gradually relaxed his stance and asked in a calm voice.
“…What do you an by that?”
“If acting in your lord’s interest is more honorable, I won’t stop you from leaving this place.”
As soon as the answer was given, the officer of the Demon King’s army put down the club he was holding onto the ground.
The Blue Knight, surprised by that firm attitude, stared blankly, but there was absolutely no hostility towards him in that deanor.
“…Are you serious?”
“You, unlike the others, did not mock and engaged in the duel seriously.”
It wasn’t a lie.
The demons in the Demon King’s army were all arrogant, but more importantly, they valued the desires they pursued.
The more distinct their desire, the stronger the power they possessed, and it was natural for them to rise to a higher position.
“If you respected my honor, it’s only natural that I, too, provide you with the opportunity to pursue your own honor.”
Especially for those who pursued honor, there could never be falsehood in words accompanied by honor.
Feeling that sincerity from the battles thus far, the Blue Knight hesitated for a mont, then prepared to sheath his sword and turn away.
No matter how important it was to seize the montum in war, the Corpse Lord was the core of the legion.
If sothing happens to her, even if they win this fight, it could greatly hinder their future objectives.
“…What is your na?”
As they reached a standstill, the Blue Knight paused his steps toward his lord and turned to look at his opponent.
To that question, the officer of the Demon King’s army, who had already turned away, quietly answered.
“Helkrai.”
Born an orc, not a demon.
The strongest warrior of the Demon King’s army had risen to the newly established position among the Four Great Kings.
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