Tashian Pheloi.
The one who taught love to my other personality and, by neglect, awakened hatred.
And in the end, she who wished for humanity’s destruction might indeed be an entity that should be excluded, not just for personal reasons but for the sake of humanity itself.
At this mont, facing her, the impulse to exclude her was inevitable.
“And yet, you’re leaving?”
The source of my other personality felt the sa impulse I was feeling now, but she still wanted to forgive her.
Even though that resentnt was vast enough to threaten the world with a great disaster.
In the end, she chose forgiveness, suppressing her emotions with reason.
“It’s not that I’m leaving. I’m just entrusting everything that cos after to you, Dad.”
“…Pheloi.”
“You don’t need to feel regret. I didn’t expect to be directly involved like this, but ultimately, stepping back like this suits the purpose of my existence.”
Even after her death, there might have been a struggle for control over my body for that impulse.
Yet, it didn’t happen because she believed it was her role.
Unlike my previous life, this was a decision made without coercion from anyone else, entrusting everything to through their own will.
“You probably know this, Dad, but a soul is essentially no different from a sophisticated record that has developed a sense of self. If life is a story, then the soul is rely an arbitrary extension of that story.”
It was just an artificial continuation of a story that had already concluded, hypothesizing what-ifs…
Knowing I was such a being, the child must have harbored the intention to respect the wishes of anyone qualified who appeared.
“After all, being rely a record, it shouldn’t be the sole thing that steers soone’s path forward.”
Unlike the naive appearance at the beginning.
Because I, who ca after accepting all of her mories, was deed qualified.
“Pheloi.”
“It’s okay. I won’t disappear. I just intend to complete my mission by passing it on to you, Dad.”
Even if not doing so might be irreversible.
That child, having shed her previous naivety, now smiled at with a more mature expression.
“Dad knows, right? The things left by her who has departed this world are still being passed on to soone in this world.”
She wanted to teach with such a face.
That soone is inheriting history, continuing traditions, receiving teachings…
Even if soone loses their life pointlessly at the end of a painful life, if soone else takes it up, it leaves aning in the world.
“…It’s human nature to live on what others have passed on, but ultimately, the final choice is made by one’s own will.”
Although it’s impossible to correct a story already written.
It becos the foundation for the sequel that would be newly written.
“So, from now on, don’t worry about and focus on your story, Dad. Not to obsess over the story I’ve passed on, but the story inspired by her and others.”
I knew that was why the child had acknowledged and left, but I couldn’t help but feel sudden fear.
Was it really okay for to make decisions on my own?
Could I, in this harsh world, continue the noble hero’s will like hers without breaking?
“…How to accept Mom’s story as well.”
The hand that reached out to the child trying to leave, soon drew back with a smile looking at .
A clear smile proving that my current words were not pretentious.
“Be my son.”
The familial ties that could be considered a curse in that life…
She wanted to repeat it by her own will, seizing this mont.
“…Tashian.”
“Even if it’s just an excuse, that’s fine. Just let do for you what I couldn’t do for that child.”
But how could that be considered foolish?
Unlike the ti she committed irreversible acts in confusion, she was now acknowledging her sins.
If she had acknowledged her sins, what should have followed was not liberation but atonent.
“Give a chance to prove that what that child left behind has aning, too.”
Yes, the dragon was still capable of love.
Even with a body that was not worth burning anymore, she hoped the love for that child would continue…
“…So it has co to this.”
There was a minstrel, hiding in the nearby bushes, watching the entire scene.
rilyn, watching them in the sunset, gradually ford a bitter smile on her lips.
The emotion awakened by the dragon at the end of its life, though considered a curse, she had once again chosen to continue by her own will…
It felt personal because at this mont, she was experiencing empathy for them.
Though different in form, what they felt was undeniably love.
“I welco the increase in rivals, but Airi, you seem unusually ta today. Usually, you get all prickly when I get close to Hyo-sung.”
Airi Haven was watching from a distance under a tree.
But she was not holding a crystal ball to predict the future.
She had anticipated such a conclusion, guessing the state of their hearts, and was firmly resolved for it.
“The longer the journey ahead, the more aides, the better. Especially since Tashian has suffered deep loss from losing a child, she would never betray soone she considers family.”
“Hmm~ Aides, you say?”
rilyn squinted at her with a gruff voice and a nasal tone.
“Is that really all? It seems to there might be another reason…”
Feeling her gaze, Airi paused to catch her breath, then withdrew her attention from her and looked back at the two.
Swallowing the complexity of their joined hands as they descended the hill against the sunset.
“…Because I know. I know what it’s like to lose a family.”
She, too, had lost her mother at a young age and was raised by her chieftain father and their people.
How could she possibly dampen their relationship by comparing it with her own circumstances?
“Hyo-sung ca to this world separated from his family, so having soone to stand in for them would surely give him strength, wouldn’t it?”
Yes, people can’t live alone.
Only with a companion and comrades for the arduous journey, and those who would guard the ho to return to, would one have the courage to boldly climb the travel paths.
Swoosh.
As if blessing the seed planted for him, a warm breeze began to blow between the two as they walked down the hill.
And as if blessing their relationship, the leaves in the wind gradually parted, opening the path for them.
“…Son.”
During their walk on that path.
She whispered to her new adopted son.
“Mom, do you love ?”
In place of her daughter, whom she could never et again.
Hoping to hear the answer from another child of hers.
“…I love you.”
Ca the sorrowful reply.
The nostalgic mother, enduring the ache in her heart, brightly smiled.
“Yes, Mom loves you too.”
Keeping the words she could no longer convey to herself.
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