Chapter 157: End and beginning (1)
0xaI8u1There’s nothing that doesn’t bend to time.GL7
uMnNo matter how beautiful a flower may be, eventually it will wither, and even a strong sword will eventually rust.VJAuqT
NoW5ceAnd the same goes for the sun that rose in the sky.g20wSZq
21tjF4nThe increasingly reddish glow of the sunset cast long shadows over Brigantes, the capital of the empire.5fu
9bJlxThe shadow, which continued to sway as the sun gradually set, finally reached the most glorious building in Brigantes.gCiUq9U
fgJypCenter of the empire. Even to the imperial palace.BmVxYiP
0W4hlcYDing-dong.avR
QuuIThe sudden sound of the bell made everyone in the city stop what they were doing and turn their heads.hEklc
hM4snJA bell that starts ringing even though it’s not time to ring.ycxnT
KYjThe people wondering what was happening soon could see a black flag starting to rise slowly over the imperial palace.Y9zb1Fn
cuXThe sun was setting.fX0XVb
vD79HThe sun rose at the highest point of the empire.tQZjG
3UtJU3EA completely black night began from the sunset that had finally fallen.rOdlIac
TN5Qf***gkBJG2p
aItWhen I opened my eyes, I found myself under an unfamiliar ceiling.sB9yhZQ
XtLZ2Bp“It seems they’ve changed the wallpaper.”n6QRh5
eNRAwVlad opened his eyes upon hearing a tired voice and absentmindedly started counting the numbers in the ceiling patterns.7vnaWF
PCvZBut the more he counted, the blurrier his vision became.Ne1r
rpqVjcIt seemed that a single night’s rest couldn’t relieve the fatigue.zph9
Fv1k“…I’ll sleep a little longer.”wH5hzrv
4VCVlad said he was going to sleep, but as Vlad, who was already thinking about sleeping better, began to squirm like a slug and hide under the blanket.HOZdk
QY7iWZIt had been almost a year since his expulsion from Soara.QFJr
49AVlad, who had a place to rest but no place to comfortably toss and turn, decided to stay up late for the first time in a long time.gn5
IAqsIoZ“Alright.”oGmOl8o
9iILRvI really need to sleep until my nose is crooked today.wPA99ZP
vlvQThe accumulated tiredness over the years was too sticky, and the house he returned to after a long time was warm.F7S71
JL5hClrIt had been autumn for a while, but the cold air already swirled at the tip of his nose, tightly wrapping around Vlad’s blanket.Xb4hJ0
63N“Hey.”Knjji
tRvMrc“…”sG0
GMkiYa“Hey Hey.”7LP
AyCN“…Don’t touch me.”jAf
yNv0However, despite Vlad’s resolute determination, there was a hand that grasped him without hesitation.Hrn
MgKN9JOSmall but unstoppable hands.8vE
uA8MThe hand that had been carefully shaking his shoulder suddenly rose bravely and tangled Vlad’s hair.xdhpM
WlXh“I told you not to touch my head.”YElFtdE
p6d“I told you not to worry.”65cGZ
iUDcO“…Hey.”LTHbuA
bXGIt was a room that didn’t receive much sunlight, but the red hair visible through the raised blanket was enough to light up Vlad’s eyes.mzDmI
uCcq“Just… I’ll sleep a little. Just until lunchtime.”uyjSkn
C7JcpE“It’s lunchtime now.”BVQ3nK
KI9HZemina’s round and curved eyes suddenly pointed towards the window.iEWIOcF
mT5KZThe afternoon sunlight shone through the curtains.BfB
iSyTEvIt was an unfamiliar sight for Vlad, who always woke up to the dim light of dawn.bmzsg
Oe7WTFs“If you want to sleep better, have lunch and then sleep. Marcella prepared the ingredients early in the morning just because you were coming.”EF0
oSBDJDBZemina’s hand, which had been playing with his hair, grabbed Vlad’s collar and began to pull him slowly.OgFNP7
ebfIsvYZemina’s face was as refreshing as the upper part of her body that was suddenly getting closer as she stood up.PT7U8a
pLdBb“You. Did you put on makeup?”rJD
8rI24“Hmm.”r5fWe
fe5zHe asked this question because he couldn’t see the freckles on the bridge of her nose, but Zemina triumphantly began to smile as if she had finally realized.4jgWGJ
wl4Q“How do I look? Do I look good?”VZqM9
eeaR9Au“With this, you would already be committing a crime.”isRr1Z
7n3mAq8It’s probably because I haven’t fully woken up yet.JUwV8
rJhMaybe it’s because the room is dark.LzVRFg
2oLIn that sense, the Zemina in front of me now looked quite different from the version of her that Vlad had seen before.Bql
S0mKzE“Get up quickly. Lunch is almost ready.”AZkRvS
LQcjWP“…”cecBbt
D3zrNA door closes slowly with a creak.DdnFJV
F7ZLBVlad stared at Zemina’s back through the gap for a long time.ANR6
lKsyV6q“I became arrogant.”5TyuRRd
NrYThe freckled Zemina that Vlad had been waiting for wasn’t there.fyUznZY
Qr8SEven the poor girl wringing out a mop with her thin hands.6Gr
lXqJj72The woman in front of Vlad now was just Zemina, with a pink smile that had suddenly risen on its own.Rdz
zJc“Do you really change so much just because you put on makeup?”0ezJzna
1CVAn unidentifiable smell began to waft from where Zemina had gone.yPAbTT
G0dwVlad vaguely thought that the smell was the smell of dust, but in reality, the makeup Zemina had applied was only subtle.lHX
g2jH***Lhk
IftXVNL“Good morning, Vlad.”hRjC
BMlZ“Good morning. Did you sleep well, Marcella?”X056l7
y779o6“I couldn’t sleep at all. Thanks to you.”sKi
ypVUpon hearing Marcella’s playful words, Vlad looked at her.bIRV
x3fkTwo swollen eyes that didn’t favor a slender face.Oxdh6h
PnpEIt was Marcella, not Zemina, who hugged Vlad when he returned yesterday and cried loudly.PncgCrD
K6BuaA“As I get older, I find it difficult to control my emotions. I think it’s time for me to retire.”S0uC
uFdzdQ3“You’re still in your prime.”4ZOrG
Y1X0HiPThe senses of the former Chopal screamed.zEC5
rLJQUbNow is the time to say no.ywNGZj1
Hb4f9“Yes?”cgbOli
ran8As if that were the correct answer, the plate was filled with meat.1OUK
xgEIt would have been great if Alicia had shown the same tact now.807STt
yoaDWzm“…”yK8B5I7
jeJVlad began to quietly look around as he ate the food Marcella gave him.APyEU48
H8Hx3mYesterday, when he had just returned, he was very busy, crowded, and agitated.4Ai
oEBuSYThat’s why he couldn’t give her what she should have had.1SKbwe
XLsL“Marcella.”6Lm5
BbXlAtL“Huh?”qVh
TXerV“Here you go.”lz5
E2IxFAfter confirming that no one was on the fourth floor, Vlad carefully handed Marcella a small bag.ySf8
zxJ7a“What’s this?”3jmSHb
jOqrfHA“…I’m not sure if it will work.”UTLjWFI
JauqIbZVlad probably wasn’t the only one captivated by the blue moonlight that day.XdOZosF
C8LhbSomehow, the person who lost the most that night was Marcella, so this level of price was necessary for her.QIHGd
ueP5“What’s this? A ring?”D81aHf
ESw“It’s Godin’s.”HyTHEUi
frZUA very strong name was heard beyond the spoon moving indifferently.KUB
ReOw“Godin?”TuHrL
MZwMarcella’s fingertips began to tremble as she opened her pocket, perhaps surprised by Vlad’s words.7n1qS
vPzVuIxNo, maybe it’s scary.gbkI
SKQqugjThe blue moonlight still filtering into every corner of Rose’s smile was nothing short of a nightmare for Marcella.Yogv
O1T3c“I couldn’t kill him, but he died anyway.”seq
0F0pCWhat was in the pocket Vlad handed her was a ring.IAQnrE4
LkqrIt was exactly a signet ring used to seal letters, and the ring had engraved on it the symbol of an eagle, the symbol of Gaidar.ivi
tP4T9o“It’s Marcella’s.”96pPh
quyLvIZ“…Hah.”tToxl
Xp26eF1As a loser and not a winner, he couldn’t achieve anything complete.QLNB1B
EBaOAlthough it could have been a great trophy, Vlad decided to give Godin’s ring to Marcella.GpTuz
k4ASVMarcella, who received the ring from Vlad’s hands, looked at it for a while.Bdd
ixnicvWhat passes countless times between her black eyes is probably the memory of someone and the pain of that time.qyjNU
RSPlOZo“Agh!”Piu4
Wkn3mI“Ah!”6eQY
78zGXHHowever, Marcella didn’t want that ring.T7Ew
EqK9ESeeing the ring suddenly thrown into the brazier, Vlad ended up spitting out the water he had been holding.7to0
ZeXoz“Marcella?”Igpy2Q
w8ioK61“What is this made of? It’s a ring, but it burns well.”MMqN
EDMzz2JGodin’s ring starts to melt into a bright red color in the brazier.5W57bz
pRaHowever, unlike Vlad, who was surprised, Marcella’s face suddenly filled with the same smile as always.S75fGn6
t9OEd0J“Sometimes I see men more sentimental than women.”NWmg
pxiXp“Yes?”QA8IeN
BDXOZDOWhat can heal wounds is time, not revenge.rWR
a0WMarcella knew this very well, which is why she threw Godin’s ring into the brazier.Vsn
bfEZThis ring was not something that healed the wound, it was just a reminder of it constantly.NWhhCxh
Zt8gbVw“I’m proud that you brought it to me, but I no longer need it.”wwPW
fKe77MIVlad must move forward.iYW
P7RTherefore, Marcella threw the ring of the past to Vlad and only brought out today’s plate.d2WUu
a7PC“You no longer need it, right?”FPPAc
U6pF6qu“…Yes.”N0JQ
ZidTWVlad picked up a fork and began to smile slightly, looking at Marcella, who seemed as if nothing had happened.IBf
BdoFNvxAs expected, the rose of Soara had not yet withered, and there were still things to learn from her life.LKkD7N
0n91ED“I know, right? I no longer need it.”BZa
Sjh79uOn top of the cauldron heated by the lit ring was Marcella’s plate, which he hadn’t seen in a long time.h4HgwJH
JD9qd2Mashed potatoes, grilled sausages, and even blood pudding made from cow’s blood.UCVzG6
6JRvBAll these were menu items that Jorge liked.EQl
3e9YP00***Lni5
NB1aZ“Did you enjoy your lunch?”6hTCF
Uhymn“We should have come and eaten together.”2xp6nV
R3fJSeHarven arrived beside Vlad, who descended to the first floor to leave.WIutU7q
LR5zThe captain’s hat on his head has become fashionable, but the cane he holds is still in bad shape.RjanK
mIT“Since I bought a new hat, I should have changed the cane too.”k3f
Qyn2V“What about this? Why should I change this?”WF55NB9
GLCHarven took the cane as if wondering what that meant and began to clean it exaggeratedly.GbZa
qbRPerhaps because it had been used for so long, the shiny cane even had a gleam.2qS
AIMP7Ez“I’ve benefited a lot from this. When I told them it was you who made it, even the creatures of the raging sea listened to me.”akLM
E5jmJ48“Is that so?”WvzIZ
rXNNorth Star. Vlad of Soara.zwuqJ0S
YBPGHe is the brightest of Bayezid’s young knights who couldn’t shine for a long time, and he is a man who crossed the provocative West like a thorn in their eyes.yQdHtz
RZABPEIt was the current Vlad responsible for both the pride of the trend and the peace for the next generation.RSEdM
NMlk35“And today, the word elf is added to your name. Do you really know the elves?”VPT7E
6Z69lXI“I’ll leave. I have to go to the church.”ecx
nijoqnVlad, who was surprised by Harven’s words, quickly began to smile like a rose.Qu7R01
CK7vJPerhaps because they arrived late, the sunset shone through Soara’s alleys.ipkF6LW
5XJWCLGThe sunset of Soara after a long time.sXLVrvH
yVk9vThe setting sun may be the end of the day for ordinary people, but for the people in the alleys, it was like the rising sun of the day.ldi
FSDZ“How long have you been attending church?”EZ6r4
GWWic“From today.”YQQ9
L9CA5RThe reason he didn’t go to church during that time wasn’t an arbitrary decision.2gW
nhwHe couldn’t go because he wasn’t accepted.T8j
T5H22“…It’s very busy.”KCGV0s
6hnp7oVlad, who had been about to leave for a while, silently turned his head and looked at the rose’s smile.ioglJ4S
r1lTQGThe child’s home hasn’t changed much, but something seems to have changed.ILw
qIqkIHe could see Zemina constantly moving around the home.19AwFeF
h0tqQ“After all, children grow up fast, don’t they?”TtkuD
mHcHLv“You’re the same age as me.”fyQpeu
s22oP“That’s right.”eDS
e6FsjHViewed from afar, Zemina didn’t resemble her previous unkempt appearance at all.SAseO
4orlAAlthough she didn’t seem familiar, Vlad decided to step outside after seeing her rather relieved appearance.X1dD
Zq1k3p“Is your stomach okay?”ojLE
ax1UR6B“Maybe because it’s small, there’s no problem.”CUFr
hIzQA“No, not Zemina.”exo5lZ
QUEVa“Yes. Zemina.”3tM
d1ADVlad and Harven began to laugh as they said Zemina’s name several times.tAksq8n
P0mISeeing Vlad, who finally looked a bit like himself, Harven immediately put on his captain’s hat.sdgEC
et9“By the way, if you’re going to the church, I’ll take you.”pFFkt7S
FgHyl“How long have you been attending church?”e3BjPa
YWcQEjf“Actually, it doesn’t matter if you don’t take me.”qcs6
PoTpoz“Hmm?”zMTnK7
W8s0BJGVlad followed Harven’s gesture and shifted his gaze to a small, dilapidated corner of the dark alley.e5k
72iA street where the sun doesn’t shine.JnFKIOY
Q8HMpThere were things that carefully lit up the dark night’s light.H52DVbJ
iovqMQ“The last bishop banned pedophilia, but do you know what this bishop has banned?”qCDH
uDnqCP“…What?”sCRgRb9
4yJwHhThrough the slowly setting twilight, darkness began to seep slowly into the dark alley.LAsGK
6P046l3The things that carefully emerged from there were looking at Vlad.fmAOD
rBNDR7“No discrimination.”UmHKuq
RgCMABBThey were young children.uQqb
ugV5The children in the back alleys, who had until now been hiding from the light, gradually paid attention to Vlad and followed him.dNFbenf
XtLJ“Everyone is going to church now. It’s a place anyone can enter now.”qCPWi
Z9MGJSAVlad, heading to the church, soon recognized the line of children forming behind him.NYe3X
tWYThey were all hungry and exhausted, but the children’s steps toward the church were light.ZbHQfa
jbbPTE2“You say you never know when someone like Vlad of Soara will show up around here again.”Yfovq9K
Hl6U8“…”dFQu4FW
wA1TPotential young people can exist anywhere.Ox3P
Hyy6OIBecause Vlad of Soara proved it.f11
hWEqLotThat’s why the priest Andreas, who was watching the scene more closely, didn’t hesitate to lower the threshold of the church.vzJ
gpl“You said you were going to church. Aren’t you going?”cwmv
U7b0x8P“…I have to go.”eFc
NfeODA new night began in the alleys where the sun had set.zkP
TvYxS4Tiny stars rose through the growing darkness of the dark alley.FGysHpz
LXnThe place where the stars are heading is the Church of Soara.AvCXh
2bHPerhaps today these children can enjoy a hot dinner offered by a faithful priest, just as Vlad did on a winter day.7KKcwj
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