Chapter 278 – #61_The Priest(8)
#276
1.
A great disaster, one that might occur only once in a century, had passed.
Looking back, every moment was heart-stopping, no matter how many times I thought about it.
The white knights surging like a tide, the terrifying red knight.
If even one person’s strength had been lacking, we wouldn’t have been able to overcome this crisis.
Elroa, who had suffered extreme exhaustion and had her contract payment delayed.
Siwoo, who was covered in minor wounds and had faced the red knight.
As soon as he returned to the location point with the Red Branch, he collapsed and spent the whole day in bed recovering from fatigue.
No matter how much of a spirit one is, pushing oneself to this extent makes sleep essential.
While Siwoo and Elroa were fast asleep, Branch Manager Sua wrapped up the incident.
Everything had happened within the massive other-dimensional barrier that Sua had deployed, so the cleanup didn’t take long.
At most, it involved collecting the remains of the two witches who had promised their assistance and holding a funeral.
Originally, witches rarely knew each other well, and the two witches killed by the red knight this time had no apprentice witches, so the handling of the matter was much faster.
Siwoo was recognized for his contribution to this subjugation and was given ownership of the Red Branch.
In fact, Elroa had exhausted all its power, and he had only delivered the final blow, so he repeatedly refused, wondering if he deserved to receive such a great reward.
However, Branch Manager Sua was very grateful to Siwoo.
Similarly, Elroa already had the irreplaceable contract sword, so the spoils naturally went to Siwoo.
After the Red Branch was awarded,
Elroa, Siwoo, and Della gathered in the hollow of the rainwater tunnel.
It was the hollow where the altar had been set up and where Paola had met her end.
“Let’s begin.”
Della, who had not left Seoul during the incident and had been recovering at the location point.
Her eyes were very gloomy and sad.
Siwoo remembered her as a fiery fox with a very venomous aura, but now her beautifully extended eyelashes drooped downwards.
Della, wearing a black dress instead of her usual red one, stood before Paola, who lay lifelessly beneath the shattered remains of the lotus flower.
Seeing her dead with one eye wide open, she quietly stroked her hair with her hand.
“Now, I return your life to the light of truth. Release the chains of delusion that bound you. Death is a sacred ritual of shedding the shell of the flesh and moving towards truth…”
Della had asked Branch Manager Sua to hold a funeral for Paola after hearing of her death.
Generally, a witch’s funeral is a ceremony to honor the ‘predecessor who passed on the mark to the apprentice witch.’
In this case, it is proof that they have fulfilled their duty, so it is not usually held in a somber atmosphere.
However, in the case of a witch who died in an accident without leaving a successor, it is usually held in a somber atmosphere with close acquaintances watching, as is the case now.
Of course, it was unheard of to hold a funeral so calmly after a public record of causing four-digit casualties and killing more than ten witches.
The public record was for those who had broken the rules of the witch society.
Normal witches were merciless in their treatment of such criminals.
In a normal case, the body would have been sent to Gehenna to be auctioned off at the ‘First Red Roof Salon,’ or the witch who obtained the body would have used it as research material.
Della expressed her desire to donate all her assets to the location point and receive the body, and Branch Manager Sua granted it without much hesitation.
It was thanks to the information Della provided that the Cowardly Witch could be dealt with before she caused an accident.
Considering that Paola had spared Della, whom she could have killed at any time, it was a very ironic situation.
However, since Della had been hiding Paola’s whereabouts until now, she could not be completely trusted, so it was decided that the funeral would be concluded with Elroa in attendance.
“May that flesh be burned in sacred fire, and may the earth return to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.”
Along with Della’s short eulogy.
Flames rose from her feet, burning the entire hollow.
The remnants of the altar that remained even after the lotus had bloomed, the half-broken lotus, and Paola’s cold body.
They burned in the flames that licked like tongues.
Della, who had obliterated everything with white flames that didn’t even produce smoke, struck the floor with her heel, and all the flames that had surged like lava subsided.
“Rest in peace.”
Della stared blankly at the spot where Paola had been sitting.
Watching her from behind, the two quietly left the place.
Elroa, who had headed to the underground waterway almost immediately after waking up to attend the funeral on behalf of Branch Manager Sua, who was very busy with other tasks, and Siwoo, who had followed him.
“……”
“……”
To be honest, I was still half asleep, and I was half-dazed until I got here, so I didn’t have time to think much.
But seeing such a scene made me feel bitter.
I know that the Cowardly Witch is a terrifying mass murderer.
I know she’s a crazy bitch among crazy bitches.
Still, hearing the whole story of how that lotus had bloomed to save her lost disciple, and seeing her lonely death, I didn’t feel good about it.
Of course, that doesn’t mean her sins can be excused, but still.
As we exited the vertical exhaust, the bustling city of Seoul came into view as usual.
I could see the cars filling the wide roads, and the office workers sipping iced Americanos and passing by in groups of three or five.
It was a city where the pleasant autumn breeze, the sunset, and the sounds of people living were harmonized in the right proportions.
I glanced sideways and suddenly met Elroa’s eyes.
Her dazed eyes, which seemed to have been lost in thought for a moment, regained their vitality.
Her expression didn’t look very refreshed, so Elroa asked.
“Is there something bothering you?”
“Somehow… I don’t feel as refreshed as I thought I would.”
I feel proud to think that I contributed a little to protecting this peace.
Either way, if it hadn’t been for Siwoo, the red knight would have killed Elroa and returned to wreak havoc again.
If that had happened, this peaceful daily life would have been tainted by the screams of a terrible massacre.
Nevertheless, Siwoo released the words he had been holding back.
“To be honest, it’s a really strange story, but I felt a little sorry for the Cowardly Witch.”
“I suppose so. You are a kind person.”
Siwoo flinched at the cheesy line that came almost immediately.
Even as he looked at Elroa with a bewildered expression, she met Siwoo’s eyes with a gaze that showed no hesitation.
Her eyes were beautiful, but they were also so full of unwavering trust that it was hard to look directly at them.
Honestly, I think it’s an excessive compliment.
“W-well, let’s say that’s true.”
“It’s not just ‘let’s say,’ it’s actually true.”
“Yes, well…”
Elroa, watching Siwoo’s flustered appearance, smiled softly.
With her beautiful face, straight gaze, and flower-like smile, Siwoo couldn’t possibly face her, so he turned his head slightly.
“I think I know why you tease me so much. Did you want to see this reaction every time you praised my clothes and cooking?”
“Tease you? I was just complimenting you…”
“Am I not also just complimenting you?”
Elroa, with her hands behind her back, playfully teased Siwoo as she walked alongside him, who had quickened his pace.
Even though Siwoo and Elroa had grown closer, they had never shown such a playful side before…
Anyway, thanks to that, the atmosphere became much lighter.
Elroa, who was smiling with dimples as if she was in a good mood, cleared her throat and opened her mouth.
“The things of the world don’t happen as if they’re cut out with a knife. There are no humans who are only evil, and no humans who are only good.
The reason you feel pity for the Cowardly Witch is because you saw the good side she had. Just like you did for me.”
“What did I do for you again? Stop it, I won’t fall for it anymore.”
Siwoo, who had completely mistaken it for Elroa teasing him, took a defensive stance.
His expression was so firm that it felt like he had made a strong resolution not to be embarrassed or awkward.
But Elroa was not lying or making up words to praise him.
Even though it was a misunderstanding, Elroa had suddenly punched him in the face and put him in a near-death state.
Even though she had threatened his friend and never stopped doubting him.
He had forgiven her without any reproach.
And that’s not all.
He had comforted her and stayed by her side for her, even though he had no relationship with her.
Instead of fleeing to Gehenna to take care of his own safety after hearing her worries that were close to obsession and delusion, he had fought alongside her.
In the end, he had saved Elroa from danger and even caught the red knight.
And after that, she was short on mana…
Elroa abruptly cut off her thoughts.
There was no need to think about unnecessary things.
Even so, the fact that her cheeks were flushed was probably not just because of the autumn sunset shining through the buildings.
“Oh…!”
Siwoo’s resolution not to fall for her teasing was broken in an instant.
It was because Elroa had suddenly grabbed Siwoo’s hand tightly.
It wasn’t a meaningful contact like interlocking fingers or anything like that.
It was just a touch as warm and full of trust as her eyes.
“Thank you.”
Elroa brought his hand to her cheek and gently pressed her cheek against the back of his hand.
She didn’t do it because she had any particular thought in mind.
She just wanted to do it.
Elroa’s soft cheek pressed firmly against the back of his hand.
As he touched her soft skin, a memory suddenly came to mind.
It was an impious thought, but… it was the memory of how soft and smooth her whole body was.
Before he got into trouble with the lewd recollection that had come up as a conditioned reflex, Elroa first took her hand off her cheek and asked in a light tone.
“So, what are your plans for the future?”
“First, I’m thinking of going to Gehenna to pick up Sharon. I also remember the twins telling me to come visit… and there’s someone I personally want to see.”
“I see.”
Maybe it was just my imagination.
But the moment Siwoo mentioned Sharon’s name, Elroa’s face seemed to darken slightly.
And she quickly composed herself as if she was surprised by the change in her expression.
However, the expression management she had worked so hard to maintain was rendered useless by Siwoo’s next words.
“Would you like to come with me? To Gehenna.”
She had expected him to make such a suggestion, but she couldn’t help but feel so happy at those words that she had to suppress the corners of her mouth from rising.
“Of course. I was planning to rest while the contract payment was being fulfilled anyway.”
Elroa lowered her head slightly and casually touched her lips.
This was one of Elroa’s habits that Siwoo had recently learned.
She does this when she wants to hide the fact that she is very happy.
“Siwoo.”
“Yes, Master.”
As expected, Elroa, whose voice was full of excitement, pointed her finger at the department store.
It seemed that they had unknowingly walked all the way to near his house.
“There were many twists and turns, but we still accomplished a great feat. Instead of being gloomy, it would be good to have a small celebration party.”
“That sounds good.”
“I’ll prepare the food. It wouldn’t be bad to be drunk all day for the first time in a while.”
Seeing Elroa, who was as excited as a child seeing the entrance to an amusement park, a warm smile appeared on Siwoo’s face.
Sometimes when I see her like this, I feel like I’m looking at a cute younger sister rather than my master.
“Well, there’s not much time left until closing.”
“It’s only 7 o’clock? There are still 3 hours left.”
“Today, I’ll use all the cooking skills I have. Even 5 hours of shopping wouldn’t be enough.”
Although the aftereffects of the battle still remained, the two, who had headed to the grocery section with feather-light steps, spent a long time shopping, filling two carts to the brim.
