Chapter 284

[Side story] Chasing a butterfly (11)

“It was alive.”

This was the first line spoken by Yenica Palover as she rose from the altar.

Lucy Mayril, who was said to be dead, was alive. Confirmation of its survival.

If it was the Yenica Palover that Lucy Mayril knew, she would have been a little more surprised, asked about the situation, or even expressed concern.

But it must be admitted.

The Yenica Palover standing in front of Lucy Mayril right now is not the Yenica that Lucy knew. I felt it right away just by looking at the exterior.

The cold sensation that comes out at the end of the dry tone is sharpened like a knife.

The cold gaze looking down at Lucy from the altar does not have the fairy-tale warmth of before.

It looks like it has been soaked in the cold reality for a long time and has lost all its former warmth.

Aken Island was completely under her control and reigned as the queen of this hell island.

A dark red cane is visible beneath the bleached white hair. Although it is very worn due to the signs of time, it is the same cane that Ed Ross Taylor used when he was alive.

The sight of him tightly holding the cane, which he keeps as a keepsake, as if it were his most precious treasure, gives off a sense of discomfort.

“...I was wondering if he was still alive.”

Yenika stands up and pours out cold words. Her remarks were unexpected from Lucy’s point of view.

This world’s Lucy Mayril is dead. Lortel clearly said so.

However, Jenica was suspicious of Lucy’s death.

“After I decided to turn Aken Island into a sanctuary, no matter how much I searched the island, I couldn’t find Ed’s body.”

Ed Rothtaylor was executed by Lindonist imperial forces in the plaza of Sylvania Academy.

In that case, Ed Rothtaylor’s body also had to be somewhere at Sylvania Academy.

However... Yenica Failover was unable to find his body.

“You took Ed’s body away?”

Lucy just looks up at Yenika with blank eyes, as always.

“If you are alive, all questions will be solved. “There aren’t many people who can hide on an island for this long without being noticed.”

“I... don’t know anything.”

Only then did Yenica Palover feel a sense of discomfort.

There is not a single trace of sadness in Lucy’s eyes. As always, he was just looking up at Yenika blankly with half-open eyes.

“Give Ed back. “I will use this altar as Ed’s resting place.”

“I told you. “I don’t know anything.”

“Why do you lie like that?”

“It’s not a lie.”

Lucy calmly told only the truth. However, whether Yenika would be able to accept it was another matter.

“I... I don’t even belong to this world. “It just trickled in.”

“...”

“I want to go back to where I came from. To do that, you need the power of the altar. “I can’t go back unless I recover my magic power.”

From Lucy’s perspective, these were words that were difficult to say out loud. However, he continued speaking calmly.

“Make way.”

“...”

Yenica was looking at Lucy quietly.

Ed Rothtaylor’s death changed many things in the world.

I know it well enough because I was close to Jenica. For Lucy Mayril, Ed Rosstaylor must have been as precious and meaningful as the world.

Despite this, he appears calm and casually talks to Yenika.

She didn’t lose Ed Rothtaylor.

Yenika realized that fact intuitively and lowered her head even further.

Perhaps what Lucy is saying is true.

Otherwise, there was no way Lucy would be so fine as if nothing had happened.

“...”

Lucy was at a loss for words when she saw Yenika like that.

He looks somewhat devastated.

It feels like she lost Ed and the meaning of everything in the world has been taken away, but in front of her is Lucy, who has not lost Ed.

What will she feel? Is it futility, jealousy, or is it an endless sadness welling up again?

Yenika’s face looked up... and looked vaguely vague.

“....okay.”

That was the only answer that came back.

Lucy even assumed battle in the worst case scenario. Surprisingly, I trembled at Yenika’s words that she would willingly send Lucy back.

It was a situation Lucy did not want.

Yenika felt a great sense of discomfort in Lucy’s voice. It was a tone of firm determination, as if he had decided to do something.

Ironically, the reason Jenica gave way to Lucy Mayril is because she understands Lucy’s feelings better than anyone else.

Lucy will want to go back to Ed.

More than anything else, the most important thing for Lucy is to restore her magical power and open the way to Ed.

There is no way there is room to pour limited magical energy elsewhere.

Lucy never stands in Yenika’s way. There is no time or reason for that. Jenica knows best the affection Lucy must have had for Ed.

Nevertheless, the first thing Lucy did as soon as she recovered her magic was to gather the magic of the area and blow away the surrounding spirits.

– Hwaaaaaaaaa!

– Quaaaaaaaaaaa!

The highest level lightning magic, ‘Never Punishment’.

The lightning, which becomes even more powerful in the hands of Lucy, who has regained some of her magical power, returns the spirits of the area to nothingness.

Lucy jumped down from the altar, concentrating her magic in the swirling wind. And again, he stands straight in front of Yenika.

I returned without moving on. It was Lucy’s choice.

“You...”

A storm-like wind passed by and Lucy raised her head as she straightened her old and worn clothes.

“You can tell at a glance. Lucy. You are in a position where you should not carelessly waste magical energy. “Do you think you can stop me like that?”

“I will take care of that.”

“Why do you make that choice?”

Jenica’s face when she turned around was stained with pain.

The choice to let Lucy go was heartbreaking for Yenika as well.

Despite the storm of emotions he felt as he looked at Lucy, who had not lost Ed, he ultimately did what he thought was right.

What is lost is lost.

What Ed is waiting for in the other world is Lucy Mayril.

Because I knew that fact, I let Lucy go even though my heart was pounding.

Because I had work to do.

However, Lucy does not use the magical power she has recovered after so long to go back.

With her regained strength, Lucy stood in Yenika’s way.

“It’s just a matter of recovering magical power somehow.”

Even if all magical power is lost here, it can be restored someday.

The aftermath of the Phoenix Ring does not last a lifetime.

If you hold on for a few more years... you will somehow be able to find a way to return.

There’s no way Ed would give up Lucy after only a few years. Because I have that confidence, I stick to what I think is right right now.

Yenika couldn’t understand Lucy’s decision.

For today’s Lucy Mayril, this world would feel like a terrible hell.

You just want to leave as quickly as possible.

Nevertheless, the reason for blocking Yenika even with a completely battered body is—

“Running away from here is an insult to the person who gave me life.”

It is a world full of people struggling to survive.

There are also many people who tried to send Lucy here even at the risk of death.

The purpose of all of them boils down to one thing.

To survive.

Lucy is holding her hat down and lowering her head in the middle of the howling wind.

Just as Jenica’s appearance was different from what Lucy knew.

Lucy’s current appearance is also different from what Yenika knew.

You can’t tell at a glance.

But only now... the difference is clearly visible to Yenika.

“Everyone who tries to survive deserves respect.”

“You...”

Even in the storm, the girl’s eyes shine.

Who was the person who imbued such values in a girl who was nothing but emptiness?

Even with his small body, he stands proudly in the storm. Is it an illusion caused by longing that someone in my memory appears overlapping?

The girl has received a lot.

I was given life by the boy, I was given a reason to live, and I was given beliefs to carry out.

And to carry out that belief, the girl finally becomes a hero.

A vortex of magical power swirled.

In the aftermath, volcanic ash covering Mt. Orn rises high into the night sky.