Brimdal pushed me back with a sullen expression, shouldered his greatsword, and headed into the alley.
"There's a limit to arrogance. Did you really intend to fight a Divine Punishment Knight? It wouldn't even take thirty seconds for your limbs to be torn from your body."
"... How long have you been watching?"
"From the very beginning. It seems that heart-realm magic of yours is weak when it comes to detection."
That was a terribly unfair accusation. For my Tide Sense possessed a detection ability of overwhelming merit, one that would not be outdone by any heart-realm. Brimdal, who had deemed it weak, walked into the alley without even looking back at me.
"What a pain in my old age, all because I took on the wrong disciple, tsk..."
"I never asked for your help."
"Just stand there quietly and watch."
He was still undetectable to my Tide Sense.
"You should at least know how your master fights, shouldn't you?"
Was he really watching from the start? As I stared in disbelief at the disappearing Brimdal, I soon realized something.
"... Master?"
The Brimdal I knew didn't call me his disciple. And he never told me to call him master, either. It seemed I had received something akin to his acknowledgment without my knowing.
"No, but still-" He was a Divine Punishment Knight.
Could Brimdal, who was nothing more than an ordinary knight, fight him effectively? Still, the situation itself was good. I could still provide support from a distance, so couldn't I just let Brimdal take the lead and help him out?
[...]
I thought Hyeon-cheong would try to talk. But as soon as he met Brimdal in the alley, he immediately launched himself onto a nearby wall.
"?"
It was an incomprehensible movement. Until I saw his next move. In the fraction of a second—less than an instant—before his head hit the wall.
In that brief moment, Hyeon-cheong's body accelerated by thousands of times. He spun 180 degrees, his feet touching the wall. He bent his knees, pushed off, and shot out like an arrow, aiming a sword strike at Brimdal's neck.
It was a movement less like a human and more like a mollusk moving at thousands of kilometers per hour. It was on a completely different level from being acrobatic. Simply put, it was not within the realm of human capability. -Clang!
[What do you think you're doing?]
And that included Brimdal, who had parried the blow with ease. Brimdal's movements were much slower than Hyeon-cheong's. Of course, he was plenty fast; it was just that Hyeon-cheong was too fast. Was that a movement a human could even...
I mean, choose to possess? I realized I had been mistaken. Forget Deep Fusion or anything else, I should never have engaged with such a being.
Hyeon-cheong clicked his tongue and muttered.
[I am tracking a Fallen. Please step aside.]
[What are you talking about after launching a preemptive strike?]
[I might have died if I hadn't. I am not so foolish as to think I could survive by yielding the first move to Sir Brimdal.]
[You flatter me. I'm in a good mood, so I'll grant you a brief lesson.]
[... I am honored, but this is obstruction of duty-] [Hup!]
Brimdal, well, he didn't seem to have any intention of holding back. It was nothing particularly special. He used his tall frame to swing a sword even larger than himself.
His reach and power were advantages, but- It didn't seem like it would work against an opponent of such speed, who could reverse his body 180 degrees in the brief moment before hitting a wall.
[Tsk...] ...
It worked perfectly. Hyeon-cheong, defenseless, blocked the greatsword with a frown.
[What you are doing now is an act of protecting a Fallen.]
[What are you talking about? Where is this Fallen? I am simply teaching a lesson to a disrespectful knight who launched a surprise attack on me during my walk.]
[... You will regret this!]
Despite his sharp retort, Hyeon-cheong's chances of winning seemed slim. It was strange, as Hyeon-cheong hadn't slowed down. Not knowing what was happening, I focused my Tide Sense further- And then I saw the truth.
"... Ah."
It was a simple misunderstanding. Brimdal was far faster than Hyeon-cheong. Hyeon-cheong sometimes moved so fast that my Tide Sense couldn't track him.
However, Brimdal had been like that from the very start. He merely appeared to be slow. He was the first to get into position, the first to swing, the first to be fast.
Hyeon-cheong was fast too late. How could he possibly be a match? This was less a battle and more a desperate struggle for survival.
"What is this..."
A dry laugh escaped my lips in disbelief. A knight's battle was more inhuman than I had ever imagined. There was no flashy swordsmanship, no honor, no respect for the opponent; it was the raw reality of combat, where the sole purpose was to cut off the opponent's neck with a faster slash or thrust.
Perhaps it was because his opponent was a Divine Punishment Knight.
[If you can't even defeat me, how do you plan on defeating the other Fallen?]
[... If all the Fallen were like you, Sir Brimdal, the Empire would have fallen long ago.]
Dozens of blows were exchanged, and I couldn't see even a fraction of them. But one thing was certain: Brimdal would not lose this fight. On the contrary, if his goal wasn't to buy time, Hyeon-cheong would have been minced long ago.
"Everything's fine here... ah."
After watching the battle for a while, I snapped back to my senses and put the key in the door. It was such a war of stars that I had been watching, entranced. I was supposed to escape while Brimdal was buying time, but before that, I had to return Arillen to the Imperial Palace.
"We don't have time. Let's finish our conversation later-" "Ren-!"
But inside the workshop- It was already filled with smoke.
"Ah..."
Click.
Ren felt the water pitcher she was holding begin to boil and threw it aside. She had held it for too long. She sighed, watching the spilled drops of water bubble and steam.
She couldn't lie in the same bed for too long, either. For the same reason, it was hard to sleep. Since falling into this hell, she hadn't been able to rest comfortably for a single day.
"Haa..."
Sighing, Ren used a nearby cloth to wipe up the spilled water. Carefully, so as not to get burned. It was called a workshop; it would be rude to use it messily. -Click.
Just then, she heard the sound of a door opening. Had Jern arrived? Did he reach the palace?
Did he find her mother? She turned her gaze to ask these things, and, "...
Ah."
She saw a familiar face in the halo of light. It was not a welcome sight. The woman clasped her hands to her chest, her trembling voice confirming her identity.
"Is that you, Ren?"
A voice even more familiar than the face spread through her ears, and she was suddenly afraid. It felt as if her heart had dropped.
"..."
Ren said nothing and avoided her gaze. She had wanted to meet her so badly, but now that she had, she was afraid. She couldn't utter a single word.
'Why did you abandon us?' 'If you abandoned us, why did you come looking for us?' 'If you came looking, why did you leave again?'
The well-ordered questions she had prepared fell apart in her mind. In her imagination, she could ask them confidently, even with anger—but in reality, she couldn't even get a single word out. She just lowered her head and covered her face.
I should have gotten rid of these burn scars before we met. Thinking this, she took a step back.
"Those wounds..."
"Ugh."
"..."
It was pointless. With her robe off, the burn scars all over her body were impossible to hide. Even if she covered her face, the rest of her was visible.
She couldn't hide it. She felt that if she showed such a hideous form, she would be abandoned again.
"I-I'm fine."
Words she didn't mean came out. Her voice was terribly hoarse.
"How could you possibly be fine?"
As she took one step back, the woman took ten steps forward and embraced Ren.
"I'm so sorry..."
"L-let go!"
Ren shoved Arillen away in terror. Contact would burn her. The same scars would be left.
But Arillen didn't release her hands, regardless of whether her skin was searing.
"Mommy's so sorry..."
"..."
"Because I was so indecisive, because I couldn't choose you... you..."
Ren saw the paper Arillen was holding burn away. The adoption record, containing her and her brother's names.
"What..."
Ren felt something inside her loosen and gently pushed Arillen away.
"Ren...?"
"You had a hard time too, Mom."
She wasn't the only one living in hell. At that thought, all her pain vanished. The world literally turned pure white.
"R-Ren?"
Arillen approached with a bewildered expression, only to be pushed back.
"Aack...!"
Tangible flames enveloped her body. There was no overwhelming pain. Rather, it was warm... a feeling like her skin was being gently heated.
"I see."
She thought she understood. While talking with her mother, she had found out. Did Mom really abandon us?
If she did, why? She wanted to know so, so badly- And she had become like this. But at the same time, that was what had been sustaining her.
"... Thank you, Mom."
Once I realized it was a misunderstanding. Ah, so that’s how it was... It felt like something in my heart just clicked, and let go.
"What's happening!"
Jern burst through the door and rushed over, helping Arillen up. Then his eyes fell on Ren, who was sitting engulfed in flames. His expression twisted.
He was someone who seemed like he would live his entire life with a stoic face, but Ren just smiled gently.
"What's wrong with her??"
"I-I don't know, we just met, we barely even talked-" "What do you mean... Ren, can you hear me?"
"..." ...
Yes.
She answered a moment later.
"The rate of progression...? Wait a minute, I'll get some medicine."
Jern, though flustered, avoided the flames and opened a chest.
"Don't. It's a waste."
"Nothing is more precious than your life."
"Sometimes there is."
"..."
As Ren shook her head with a serene expression, Jern hesitated.
"Sorry, could you calm my mom down a bit? My body is like this, so..."
"... Alright."
Jern looked at Ren for a moment, then sighed and stepped back. Arillen, unable to grasp the situation, couldn't approach and grabbed Jern, asking.
"W-what is going on right now? Is she, is she going to be okay?"
"She's fine, so please talk with her."
"... What? Why, why..."
"One regret is enough."
Jern sat on a nearby bed and said nothing more.
"..."
Ren looked at Arillen. In her eyes was fear. The fear of loss, and nothing else.
"... Is it because of me?"
"Huh?"
"Because you met me, did you, become like this...?"
Was her own face similar just a moment ago? Thinking that, she could understand how Arillen must have felt when she embraced her. Ren shook her head.
"No, Mom. It doesn't hurt at all. I'm glad I got to meet you, I truly think so."
"Y-you're lying..."
"It's true, I'm this happy."
"But I-" "I don't want you to be in pain either, Mom."
She reached out her hand. It was a hand on fire, but Arillen did not shy away. Something was suppressing her flames, her heat.
Knowing it was Jern's consideration, Ren gave him a simple nod of thanks. As she stroked her, Arillen's eyes slowly relaxed. Ren hugged her and murmured.
"I'm so glad you're my mom."
Looking at Ren like that, Arillen answered fearfully.
"A-actually... you, you have another mother..."
"No, I only have one mom."
The more she stroked her hand, the softer Arillen's expression became.
"I'll go tell my brother, too. Get some rest."
"...."
"Yes, I'm here. Mom."
In the end, Arillen fell asleep at some point.
"Goodbye... Mom."
After that, Ren looked down at her tenderly for a long time. Jern spoke only after Arillen's breathing had stabilized.
"What did you do?"
"I put her to sleep. She'll probably be really sad when she wakes up. But it's better than watching me die."
"..."
You could do something like that?
"No. I just figured it out."
Ren clasped her hands. Now that it had come to this, she could understand. What kind of place this hell was, and what she could do here.
If she had known a little earlier, would things have been different? There was no way to know.
"Jern, we can't be satisfied."
"...?"
Ren stroked Arillen's hair and said.
"Because I'm satisfied, because there's nothing more to wish for, I can't hold on anymore. It seems that's just how it works."
"Then you have nothing to worry about."
Jern crossed his arms and replied.
"My goal is survival. I can never achieve it until I die of natural causes."
"Really? That's a relief."
The flames grew larger. The surrounding tools began to scorch. At this rate, Arillen would also be caught up in it.
Jern sighed and stood up.
"... It might not be too late yet."
"No." Ren shook her head.
"Help me a little. I'm still scared."
"..."
"..."
Jern raised his hand with a grim expression. Feeling her vision turn white, Ren felt the fire that had clung to her body since she fell into this hell completely disappear for the first time.
"... Ah."
"I'll take responsibility for Arillen and make sure nothing happens to her."
"Yes, thank you..." - Then, Ren came to know Jern's world.
Unfamiliar with the Deep Sea, Ren looked around the dark ocean depths with curiosity.
"So this is where you live?"
"Yes. A terrible place."
"I know, right? We're so pitiful. We die if we achieve our purpose, and we die if we don't... It's like we were made to suffer, just watching for our whole lives."
Knowing it was a bit rude, Ren asked with a smile.
"Wouldn't it be better for you to end it quickly too?"
"No." Jern made a weary face.
As if he had heard such words many times before.
I carried Ren's corpse out of the workshop. Brimdal was still fighting Hyeon-cheong. There was no need for that anymore, so I just carried her and approached.
Perhaps because of the fierce battle, they didn't notice my presence. I wondered what to call Brimdal, and since I'd been acknowledged, I decided to just call him that.
"Master."
"?"
"As you commanded, I have captured the Fallen."
I showed them Ren's body, held in my two arms. Brimdal tilted his head with an expression that said, 'what is this nonsense?' He was good at fighting, but slow on the uptake in matters like this.
It was Hyeon-cheong who heard the conversation and narrowed his brow.
"Master...?"
"Yes. I am Sir Brimdal's disciple. Isn't that right?"
"Uh, um. That's right."
As if he had finally caught on, Brimdal quickly nodded. Hyeon-cheong looked back and forth between my face and Ren's, a look of disbelief on his.
"Then why did you run from me?"
"Sir Hyeon-cheong, was it? It was hard to trust you."
"... What did you say?"
"I knew it from the moment I met you, Sir Hyeon-cheong; you are incredibly strong. But does it make sense that you let a Fallen who could match me escape? I was certain you let her go, for the purpose of protecting her."
"What is that supposed to mean-" "So I acted first."
I held up Ren.
"I tracked down and captured the Fallen. In the meantime, I asked Sir Brimdal for protection. The Fallen who attacked me, I killed her myself."
I turned the tables, staring at Hyeon-cheong with a suspicious look as I asked.
"There won't be a problem, will there? Unless you were trying to protect the Fallen."
"..."
Of course not. He nodded and sheathed his sword.
"It seems you are greatly mistaken. I have no intention of shielding the Fallen. On the contrary, I was pursuing you because I believed you were connected to them."
"Why did you think so?"
"I heard testimony from the shop owner that you made a move to take the Fallen with you, calling her your sister. Since it's difficult to find a Fallen who has gone into hiding, I intended to interrogate you."
A chill ran down my spine. He found out incredibly fast. Trying my best not to show it, I shot back coldly.
"Did you not hear that there were many people around? I, too, smelled something burning and acted to prevent harm to the civilians. That cannot be used as a reason."
"..." ...
Yes, if you went so far as to hunt her down yourself, you wouldn't be on the same side. It seems I misunderstood as well. Hyeon-cheong sighed and approached.
"Can you hand her over? You may not know who I am, but I am absolutely not someone who would side with the Fallen. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"My questions about how you let her escape have not yet been answered. I do not wish to hand over the body."
"That was my mistake. I never imagined she would knock out all the other knights and flee... it was my fault for not anticipating it. However, I am truly not on their side."
"Hmm..."
As I listened to Hyeon-cheong's reply with a distrustful expression, he sighed and nodded.
"I don't know what you plan to use it for... but in that case, I will confirm she is the Fallen and then return the body to you. I will also send the incident report to Sir Brimdal."
"That won't be necessary."
"No, as a member of the Waxed Wings Division, I cannot allow such suspicions to stand. It is a matter that must be clarified."
Hyeon-cheong was fooled. He might have thought I was on their side, but with the fact that I was Brimdal's disciple and the evidence that I had actually killed the Fallen, he could no longer push that claim.
"May I take her? I will return her by the end of today."
"Yes, please do."
I glanced for a moment at Ren's body, which was in unbelievably good condition for someone who had been on fire just moments ago, and handed her over. Ren must have been in a lot of pain, yet she was smiling. I suppose achieving one's purpose means being happy.
Will I be able to smile in my final moments? In that moment I'm crushed to death by the pressure of the Deep Sea. ... As long as my purpose was survival, it seemed a distant prospect.