Chapter 203
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「In the end, I couldn’t return to the royal capital.」
Eris says as she manages to sit up in bed.
Orphe gives her a concerned look.
「Orphelia, I’m fine. Please let me finish telling my story.」
After staring at Eris for a moment, Orphelia simply responds, 「Alright.」
「After hearing from Lady Omi that Master was out of danger, Orphelia and I headed toward the royal capital together, since our paths overlapped for a while. We traveled by wyvern and carriage. The journey was going smoothly, without any particular problems. However…」
She covers her mouth.
Even so, unable to hold it back, bile seeps through the gaps between her fingers.
「Eris!!!」
When I instinctively call out to her, Eris, though breathing heavily, replies, 「I’m sorry for showing you such an unsightly state,」 and continues her story.
「It started about five days into our journey. I began having dreams every night.」
「Dreams…?」
「Yes, dreams. But they were unbearable nightmares.」
Being tormented by eerily realistic nightmares—I’ve experienced that too.
That’s why I understand. The mental toll on her must have been tremendous.
「The content of the nightmares varied slightly each time. However, the core of them was always the same.」
Her voice trembles.
「In my dreams, I showed complete submission to that foolish Hero, standing by his side and wielding my power according to his every whim.」
Eris’s expression hardens.
「Somehow, while dreaming, I knew.
This wasn’t my past, but a future that was yet to come.
If I responded to the nation’s summons, I was destined to become the Hero’s possession once again, just as I had betrayed you before.」
I don’t dismiss it as just a dream.
「I became afraid of nightfall.
But night always comes, no matter what.
I spent many sleepless nights. But one can’t go on without sleeping. I endured the nightmares as we steadily approached the royal capital.
But then I realized something.」
「What was it?」
「The closer we got to the royal capital, the more real the dreams became. The nightmares grew more vivid, more distinct.
It was truly hell to be continuously confronted with the future awaiting me—the sight of my own foolish self.」
I remember the dream of Puru falling in battle.
Somehow, I understood that that eerily realistic dream was the future awaiting us.
「If I sleep, I’ll see that dream again.」
Eris covers her face with both hands, as if trying to hold something back.
「No matter what, I cannot turn my back on the nation’s command and flee from the summons. In that place, I will definitely meet the Hero again.
Therefore, the only thing I can do is—」
「Eris!!」
Orphe interrupts Eris’s words.
「It’s alright. I have no doubts.」
「You idiot,」 Orphe mutters.
「When I’m summoned by the nation, before I become the Hero’s convenient puppet, I will strike him down and reveal all our sins right there.」
However, Eris continues.
「Though I don’t know if I’ll succeed.
If I fail to strike down the Hero and end up becoming his puppet—Orphelia, please behead me.」
「You…!!」
Orphelia grits her teeth.
「It’s fine. I was able to be Master’s disciple. There could be no greater happiness for me than that.」
I find myself speaking up before I realize it.
「Eris.」
What needs to be said lies within my heart.
「Then why did you two come back here?」
Eris hesitates to answer.
Perhaps she doesn’t quite understand it herself.
「Hey Orphe, tell me. Why did you bring Eris back here?」
Orphe is straightforward. Far from being intimidated, she wears a challenging expression.
「I thought that if it was Ichiro, he might be able to figure something out even in this completely hopeless situation.」
「Heh, you’re giving me too much credit.」
But there’s something more important to me than that.
「Eris.」
At my call, Eris flinches.
「Are you my disciple?」
「Of course I am, that goes without saying.」
「Then, as my disciple, you have to follow your master’s words, right?」
I’m fed up with all of this.
「Master, what are you say—」
All this talk about dying or living, cutting ties with the world, atonement, being unforgivable, this and that, that and this—I’m sick of it all.
「Don’t spout nonsense about being willing to die!!
You love wielding a sword more than anything else, and you’re my disciple—how dare you think you’re allowed to die!!」
And moreover.
「Are you going to lie to me again? Isn’t where the master is where the disciple should be, and where the disciple is where the master should be?
If you die, you can’t be by my side!!」
「Then!!」
Eris shouts in response to my words.
「What should I do??!!
Those dreams I saw over and over will surely become reality!!
To prevent that, I have no choice but to either strike down the Hero or end my life—」
Eris, you don’t understand anything.
「What are you talking about?! You have me, don’t you?!!
I—your master—I’ll figure something out!!」
That’s right, this is how I’ve always done things.
「So rely on me!!」
If this isn’t a cry from the soul, then what is?
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