## Chapter 942 – #203_Crossroads(11)
#936
1.
Eloa returned the contract sword to the subspace.
Looking around, the transfer station was not only a mess but had also collapsed.
She saw the bodies of Ea Sadalmelik, scattered everywhere, disappearing as if they were breaking apart.
The poisonous red spider lilies also scattered their petals one by one and vanished.
The afterlife view of the witch society, like that of humans, is divided.
Its substance and existence are also unclear.
However, Eloa intuitively understood what she had done.
Ea had met her death.
Not just a simple death, but a death of her very existence.
Even if there were reincarnation, rebirth, or an afterlife, it was a death sentence that severed the connection itself.
That was the punishment Eloa had imposed on Ea.
A long, 100-year-long, ill-fated relationship.
Finally, it had come to an end.
“……”
Eloa’s sword was a sword for revenge.
Magic that had been modified for combat, even breaking the optimization of existing magic.
The reason why her magic was optimized for one-on-one combat.
At its base was the desire to kill only one person more desperately than anyone else.
Ea had prepared thoroughly for that.
Like Eloa, it was a preparation with a tenacious obsession, solely for hunting Eloa.
If Eloa had still been possessed by her obsession, she would never have been able to overcome the trap that Ea had prepared.
But at the last moment, Eloa threw away her past, which had been consumed by resentment.
She transcended the limits she had set for herself.
Based on her newly established beliefs, she made a contract to ‘destroy evil.’
At that moment, Eloa was clearly at a higher level.
The 24th level, or perhaps even the 25th level.
But now, it was all meaningless.
“……”
Eloa quietly picked up the lotus flower that was left alone in the ruins.
It had turned blood-red as if it were bleeding, having devoured countless sacrifices, but now it had regained its former ethereal transparency.
Revenge was empty.
It was not as joyful or refreshing as she had expected.
However, the overwhelming fear of being lost was no longer there.
“Lafi.”
Instead, Eloa quietly called out the name of her beloved disciple.
-Shuuuuuuk!
The time of the contract was over.
Now, the price of the contract would be paid.
The magic power that had filled Eloa’s body disappeared.
At the same time, she felt a pain as if her whole body was breaking, and her magic circuits were cut off like a short-circuited electrical circuit.
“Siwoo… I have to see Siwoo.”
It wasn’t over yet.
She had to take the gate and clean up the homunculus’s rampage.
Siwoo and Rinne might be in danger.
Eloa, holding the lotus flower, staggered forward.
Barely reaching Line 3, Eloa collapsed in front of the long, half-collapsed tunnel.
She couldn’t walk anymore.
She knew.
God is cruel and does not give miracles.
The miracle Eloa had shown was an unreasonable advance payment in the name of a miracle.
It was a power that she should not have touched, obtained in exchange for taking everything from her.
The world was taking everything from Eloa as per the contract.
It would be too good of a story if ‘everything’ included her life.
Eloa’s body was enveloped in pink particles.
Her presence became faint, and with a languid stillness, her breathing slowed down.
Death is often said to be frightening.
But it was not as frightening or scary as she had expected.
Instead, memories like a warm stream of light flashed by.
The happy times she had with Lafi.
The times she wandered in pain after losing Lafi.
The times she wandered aimlessly after hearing the news of Ea’s death.
The times she first met Siwoo and taught him together.
The times she fell in love with him.
Like the warm sunlight shining through the leaves.
They were such brilliant, beautiful, pitiful, and lovely days.
If there was one last regret….
“Siwoo, I wanted to… see you one last time.”
If she waited a little longer, maybe Siwoo would come.
If she went a little further, maybe she could meet Siwoo.
Her eyelids were too heavy to stop with such regrets.
The world of unconsciousness began to swallow Eloa.
Her vision narrowed.
In front of her was a long, dark tunnel.
On the other side, the entrance to the beautifully shimmering Tiferet mansion could be seen.
If she reached that place, she could spend the happy time she had not been able to complete with Lafi.
As she moved her feet like a pilgrim walking silently on the path she had to take, she saw a silhouette with lovely pink hair fluttering in the distance.
Lafi.
It was Lafi.
At that moment, Eloa’s heart beat rapidly.
“Master!”
Eloa’s eyelids were lifted heavily again.
In front of her was the face of Siwoo, the last person she had wanted to see so much.
“…You were safe after all?”
“Master, please come to your senses…!”
Only then did she realize that she was lying with her head on his lap.
Beside him, Rinne, covered in blood, stood with a stiff face.
“You said you would definitely come… You told me to trust you, and yet…!”
“I’m sorry.”
It was the first time Eloa had seen Siwoo’s face, covered in tears and snot.
Eloa was able to smile at his love and affection.
Ah, she was so glad to have met him.
She didn’t know how happy she was to receive such excessive love and affection.
“Siwoo, it seems like I don’t have much time left… Could you grant me one last request?”
“I don’t want to hear that! Please get up!”
He was much younger and still a rookie.
Her lovely disciple, who tried to play the role of a cool man in front of Eloa.
Now, Siwoo was acting like a child.
“Siwoo, don’t be too sad.”
“How can I not be… You promised…”
Eloa squeezed out the last of her strength and wiped away Siwoo’s tears.
My lovely disciple.
My love.
My everything.
Siwoo was everything to Eloa.
It was too selfish to say, but it was a miracle just to be able to confirm that he was safe.
“Siwoo. This might be the only time I can say this.”
Siwoo bit his lip and held back his tears at Eloa’s calm touch on his cheek.
“If you get the gate… can you stop the flood?”
Siwoo nodded, biting his lip tightly.
Humans might, in the distant future, take on the appearance of ‘evil’ as Eloa judged it.
Just as there is no absolute good and no absolute evil.
The humans that Eloa had dedicated herself to might one day bare their fangs at the witches.
But that was something to think about later.
As Lilith said, good and evil are crooked lines drawn by imperfect beings.
She realized that bearing the most difficult judgments and agonies at each moment was true righteousness.
“You should do that yourself…”
“And a kiss, please.”
Eloa said jokingly.
Siwoo quietly held Eloa in his arms.
Siwoo held Eloa with delicate hands, as if she would break if he held her too tightly.
Their lips quietly met.
Eloa looked into Siwoo’s eyes and said.
“Hesitate, agonize. Don’t judge right and wrong, get lost. I’m sure you can choose a better option than I can.”
“…I will…”
“Please continue to use the name of Tiferet. I can trust you with it.”
Eloa nodded with a satisfied look and turned her head to look at Rinne.
“Rinne.”
“……”
Rinne was always expressionless, but Eloa could see that her eyes were filled with deep sorrow.
“Take care of him, please.”
“…I will.”
The pink light that had been flickering around Eloa gradually subsided.
Eloa, sensing that the time for farewell was approaching, spoke her last words.
“Siwoo, I love you. It’s a pity I’m not good with words. I wanted to express it in a more wonderful way.”
“I… I love you too…”
The light that had been fulfilling the price of the contract disappeared completely from Eloa.
Eloa, with a peaceful expression having achieved everything, having conveyed her last words and her love, closed her eyes.
The contract witch.
Eloa Tiferet.
The Duchess of Gehenna, who had upheld her own beliefs after doubt and agony.
She was supposed to close her eyes here.
“……”
“…Master?”
“……”
Eloa blinked her eyes.
It had clearly been quite some time. About one or two minutes in her perception.
But Eloa was perfectly aware of reality.
“This is… Cough!”
“Master! I knew it!!!!”
“Si, Siwoo… My body is… because of the injuries, ugh!!”
“My, my love! Stop! Stop it! Tiferet might die!”
It was a minor incident that Siwoo, who was hugging Eloa tightly and crying tears of joy while laughing like crazy, almost gave his resurrected master a finishing submission.
2.
She didn’t know what had happened.
Perhaps the world had judged that Eloa’s contract was sufficient at that level.
Or perhaps the lotus flower that Siwoo was holding had exerted some kind of power.
But Siwoo, Eloa, and Rinne still had the goal of obtaining the gate.
They were too busy enjoying the joy of not having to part.
Siwoo turned his broad back to Eloa and took a piggyback position.
“Master! Get ready!”
“Siwoo, your arm is broken too, don’t overdo it.”
“Hey, Master, you’re as light as a feather, what are you talking about? From today on, I’m your personal carriage.”
If Siwoo had looked the saddest she had ever seen him a little while ago.
Now, Siwoo looked the happiest she had ever seen him.
Eloa smiled wryly but willingly leaned on his back.
It wasn’t an exaggeration, she didn’t have the strength to even move a finger.
As they walked slowly through the tunnel, Eloa and Siwoo chatted.
About finally killing Ea.
About Siwoo single-handedly defeating the ‘Witch of Reverse Heaven,’ Urshira.
“Who am I? Siwoo Tiferet. Am I not our master’s disciple?”
Would it be strange if she felt happier about his growth than the fact that she had defeated her nemesis and enemy, Ea?
An over-filled, friendly atmosphere, having escaped the sadness of almost having to say goodbye.
Eloa, piggybacking on Siwoo’s back, quietly looked back.
“……”
A long tunnel stretched out with the darkness.
At the end of it, the mansion where Lafi was surely waiting was still boasting its beauty.
And in front of it, there was a new sign that read, ‘Eloa Master, No Entry for the Next 5,000 Years’
It was Lafi’s round and cute handwriting.
When she rubbed her eyes, the illusion quickly disappeared, and Eloa smiled faintly.
God is cruel and does not give miracles.
But very occasionally.
Isn’t it possible that love gives miracles?
Eloa quietly rested her cheek on Siwoo’s back.
