Chapter 430: Who is that Happiness for?

Was it his blood or his soul? Whatever it was, both of them were definitely something he shouldn’t lose.

Saleino felt that one of them, which was controlling his life, was flowing out of his body at a large rate. Vivid blood was spilling out of his body like crazy.

The warmth was gone from Saleino’s body, and his very skin seemed to have become like cold steel. The death snow hit his cheeks.

He could no longer see the surroundings with his eyes as his vision had faded and everything was engulfed in darkness.

He could no longer feel his limbs even as he tried to stand up against the bone-chilling cold and darkness. He was now unable to move, as if covered in a hard shell.

Saleino suddenly noticed what was happening to him.

These symptoms were the symptoms of death. That cold and disgusting death that came to everyone.

How absurd. That was all Saleino thought as his body remained motionless. He felt neither pain nor fear.

He had lived a full and exciting life, but in the end, he lost his life during an assassination attempt. That was absurd. And above all.

「I regret it…」

That voice leaked into the void. None of his limbs showed any movement, but only his dry lips were trembling. It was a fate that would crumble in a few moments.

But if fate truly existed in this world, then there was something that determined it.

「…Yes. There’s no doubt that it’s regrettable. No wonder you feel resentful of yourself. 」

For a moment, in the darkness where nothing should’ve been visible, a glow appeared in Saleino’s eyes. He heard something. The sound of something approaching echoed in his ears.

He couldn’t see or hear anything else. It was strange to be able to see something even though he couldn’t even feel his eyelids opening.

What appeared in Saleino’s field of vision was a dazzling white. The darkness retreated, and the sky got covered in white sparkle. It was as if the heavens were covered in a cloth of light and had forgotten the night.

And then, there was a being at the center of it all. That being twirled his fingertips in a graceful way, and the pale blue hair and eyes gave an almost divine feeling.

That being had human form, but it didn’t look exactly human. Saleino felt that intuition penetrate his mind.

That being’s voice was as beautiful as silk. A smile filled that being’s face.

「The aspirations that you’ve built over the years are only halfway through, and now you’re driven to the brink of an undesired death. Your will has rotten, and your dignity has been tainted. You must be regretful. You must have despaired. But rest assured, son of men…It is to people like you that God extends its hand. 」

Those words, spoken so calmly, surprisingly resonated in Saleino’s body. The voice of that being was like the sound of a large bell.

Who was this being? What kind of existence it was? This being seemed close yet far away, small yet big. This being looked down at Saleino from far above.

「…Yes, I regret it. Sorry, but who are you? To whom am I speaking! 」

Saleino couldn’t help but tremble his lips. A hoarse voice was leaking from his mouth. There was no strength in any part of his body, yet his throat was pretty much alive.

「How rude. But it’s always the same for everyone else. Let me answer you. I serve God, I believe in God, and I am someone sent by God. If you truly believe in God, then I will give you a chance, Saleino. 」

That being stood up and lifted its head while speaking.

At that moment, Saleino’s heart started beating. His body, which was in a horrible state, had regained its color and was beginning to resume its life activities.

Breath passed through his lungs and his muscles moved. The pale blue-eyed figure, in a form of a woman surrounded by whiteness, became clearly visible. She was a being whose smile made people melt and whose intense gaze seemed to pierce the humanly flesh.

「Let’s pray for eternal blessings on your soul. A soul without blessings becomes unclean and eventually descends into a beastly form. 」

A soul swallowed up by demonic nature no longer made a person human. That person’s appearance would transform into demonic nature and would be reborn as a demon itself. Even if that person was an innocent child.

The woman spoke to Saleino, as if speaking to herself. She did it with utmost dignity and superiority.

Perhaps she was an apostle, someone sent by God. Maybe that attitude was normal.

「Your enemy continues to create destruction through bloodshed and slaughter. Your enemy has destroyed the royal capital and shows no signs of ceasing his evil behavior. This shouldn’t be tolerated. You need to stop his barbaric acts. 」

The enemy. There was only one person whom Saleino called that name. Saleino wrinkled his face as he listened to that holy voice.

「Well then. Believe in God and beg for complete happiness. Your regret and despair will definitely disappear. 」

The female apostle spoke with absolute might. Her appearance was full of light. Justice and happiness certainly existed there.

He would definitely be happy if he could hold on to it. The promised light would be there if he kneeled and bowed his head.

Saleino understood that clearly. No, maybe he didn’t fully understand. The woman in front of him had a fearless smile on her cheeks again.

Everything looked so fascinating.

However, unfortunately, the doctrine that Saleino believed in didn’t demand complete happiness. And that was not what he was aiming for.

Saleino trembled his fingertips, opened his mouth and hummed. Then, he spoke with a powerful voice.

「Ha, ha ha. What are you saying? There’s nothing better than this. Yes, there’s absolutely nothing better…」

It was a hoarse laugh. Still, Saleino spoke, not in an air of empty energy, but in a voice that came from bottom of his heart. His voice picked up the momentum and his eyes, which were about to collapse, distorted in response.

「Listen apostle, then God too, listen…If you have ears, hear, and if you have eyes, see! There is no need for blessings, this foolish man named Saleino will die here without regrets. Not for God, not for the sake of others, but for what I believe in! 」

It was regrettable, yes truly regrettable. Saleino’s ambitions didn’t come true, his will was lost, and he couldn’t die in a spectacular manner. It would be normal for Saleino to feel grudges and regrets since he was no saint but a mere human.

However, he didn’t remember feeling any kind of regrets towards death itself. It was the privilege of winners to die without a single regret. How was he different? He did feel regrets, but with a different kind of meaning.

The woman was not enraged by Saleino’s words, nor was she overcome with grief. She just moved her eyes for a moment, then said indifferently.

「…Its lamentable, Saleino. You rejected the opportunity that God has given you by chance. How pitiful, how foolish you are. Ignorance is a sad thing. It would be better for you to die in despair now. 」

Saleino could hear the sound of life being drained from his body once again. Without a second to spare, the life of a man named Saleino was about to end.

Despite the pain of losing his life, Saleino desperately cleared his throat. He had many things to say since he was able to meet God or someone close to him.

Saleino’s soul was held together only by the wisdom he had accumulated over the years.

This world was still in the palm of God’s hands. The earth was under the control and authority of deities, and humans and demonic beings had no choice but to do as they pleased. No one was truly free, and everyone could do nothing but dance foolishly on that stage.

Saleino wanted to break that down with the shields of knowledge and faith. But he failed. That was his only regret. Saleino believed that humans could do it, yes, break free.

But it was impossible for him to achieve such a feat. He no longer had the time, nor the talent. He was just an ordinary person.

However, that possibility remained open. After all, the Heraldic Order was still alive and well.

Even if he eliminated himself from the picture, the Heraldic Order would move forward.

「I am…not in despair! I feel shame at the Gods who created this world. Humans will not be as ignorant as lambs forever! Someday, they will surpass even the likes of you! 」

Saleino could taste blood in his mouth. His throat was ragged and felt excruciating pain every time he took a single breath. His collapsed body screamed that he was about to die.

Saleino took it all in and laid down on the ground, waiting for the end. The dark curtain was once again hanging over his eyes, and he could no longer see a single ray of light.

How long could he live? A few minutes or a few seconds? Maybe he’d lose his soul in the next moment.

At the end, Saleino saw images of several people floating in his eyelids. Bernard, Largud Ann, Saint Matia, and the Hero Lugis.

There would be no peace for them if the kingdom truly fell. There were many fools like himself, and many who called themselves servants of God. Such people would never allow Heraldic teachings to accumulate wisdom. They’d reject anything that tried to touch the truth.

How much hardship was coming? How much of it would they face?

Just a moment before his life was gone, Saleino spoke with his throat drying up, as if to let it all go.

「Ah, it’s time for me, an old man, to die. Young people who fight against the world…I wish happiness for all of you.」

Previous | Next

I didn’t dislike Saleino, he had guts despite being old and frail.

—————–

Support us on Patreon and get access to early chapters