Episode 141

Shin Yura.

Excluding family, she’s the person I’ve known the longest. Consequently, I have many memories of her.

Among those memories…

There were good times, but just as many, if not more, bad times. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, as we spent time together, I painfully realized I wasn’t better than her in any aspect.

…That’s to say, I did have one thing over her.

Yes, I was taller, and I fought better. But boasting about just those two things felt foolish.

During relentless teasing, if I clenched my fist, I would’ve immediately been teased again, ‘Eek~ Even dumber than me and barbaric to boot!’

This wasn’t a doubt but a certainty.

Yura teased me mercilessly right up until we parted ways. Of course, it wasn’t like that from the beginning.

I still remember vividly. How could I forget?

It was during the summer vacation of our elementary school years.

Kids, unlike adults, can become friends quickly even if they’ve just met. However, Yura wasn’t like that. Her eyes were fiercely sharp, and frankly, her personality was so prickly that it seemed difficult for her to make friends.

‘…Wasn’t her personality prickly?’

Thinking about it now, she seemed like a shy child who was just very reserved.

At even the smallest argument, she would clam up and, when she couldn’t bear it anymore, would spit out curses.

You could say, for a kid, having a foul mouth doesn’t equate to being shy, but considering she didn’t like going out much and preferred playing with me over other kids, she was indeed shy.

But that was only for a while.

After middle school, she changed. Maybe she felt more confident? Trying to remember… Perhaps it started when the school began ranking students by grades.

[Shin Yura… 1/346]

The look on her face when she received the notification with her name among the top was something I hadn’t seen before – there was a certain pride.

I don’t remember my rank. It wasn’t embarrassingly low, but Yura started teasing me quietly right after we moved up to middle school.

‘Hyun-jun, look at this? I’m first, first!’

Why?

‘It must have been helpful studying with you.’

‘…What help? It’s your ability. You worked hard for it.’

‘Well… but you taught me a lot that I didn’t know. Without you…’

I didn’t know.

‘Hyun-jun, where are you going?’

‘…Home. I’m so tired after the exams. Sorry.’

‘What about me? Aren’t we going to see a movie? You promised…’

Did I? It’s such an old memory; I can’t quite recall. Now that I think about it, maybe I did.

Perhaps at that time… I was making excuses. The feeling of being surpassed by someone who always relied on me might have inadvertently sparked jealousy in my young heart.

Looking back, I was just a pathetic kid, but I couldn’t help it.

At 14, I was indeed just a kid, and back then, I had a bit of an impulsive nature. Being around her and feeling increasingly bad, I might have been embarrassed to show my jealous feelings.

However, that didn’t make our relationship distant.

‘Hey, are you upset because I came first?’

‘…What are you talking about? Stop talking nonsense and eat.’

‘You’ve been sulking. That’s why.’

‘You’re the one. Are you just picking a fight because I didn’t go to the movies with you?’

‘Pfft.’

‘Why are you laughing?’

‘Pffhaha! Right, right. Hyun-jun, why are you so cute? Huh? Look at your face turning red.’

‘…Do you want to die?’

Yura teased me, and I simply tried to retaliate.

Looking back now, I think she knew deep down that I harbored jealousy and feelings of inferiority. Whether good or bad, Yura and I never directly got angry or fought.

‘Not until we parted ways…’

But teasing should only go so far.

‘I told you, didn’t I? That won’t work. I know what you’re thinking, but after about ten years, shouldn’t you have learned by now?’

She crossed the line. I never imagined she’d freak out over my failure to get into my desired university. So, I really got angry.

‘Learn what?’

‘If you just tried a little harder…’

‘What does trying hard have to do with learning?’

‘If I had taught you, it would’ve been different! You just had to follow me exactly! You kept avoiding me!’

‘…Do you think that makes any sense?’

‘I don’t know, idiot! Anyway, it’s your fault!’

…What happened next?

I think I yelled at her to stop freaking out. With my veins bulging and eyes wide, I told her she was really annoying and irritating before I turned and walked away. I heard her screaming from behind, but I fervently ignored her and went home. The frustration that had been building up couldn’t just be overlooked.

Not only that, but after I went home, I blocked her phone number… and passed by her without acknowledging her, not wanting to deal with her anymore. After a few times, Yura did the same to me.

Strangely enough, a relationship of over ten years broke so futilely.

‘I shouldn’t have blocked her.’

If I knew she would die so soon, leaving these feelings unresolved…

Sob-

[For Hyun-jun, whom I always miss.]

Wouldn’t I have not cried so miserably like this?

Tears streamed down from my heated eyes, but it didn’t last long. This was Kyrie’s spiritual tomb. Being conscious of crying in front of many people, Shiron quickly wiped his face with his sleeve.

‘How pathetic…’

Whether it was the salty tears or the roughness of the sleeve, my eyes stung considerably. I should have wiped my face with a handkerchief instead… but I guess I was too flustered to even take it out.

I was collecting my old feelings when I heard a strange sound from under me.

Sob-

It wasn’t Shiron who made the sound. As his eyes stopped stinging and the tears quickly ceased, he looked down to find the source of the sound.

“Krheung!”

Lucia was also crying.

‘…Why is she crying?’

Blinking for a moment, Shiron realized where he was: Kyrie’s spiritual tomb. Was she overwhelmed by emotions upon seeing his grave and the memorial stone dedicated to him?

“Here.”

Shiron took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Lucia. Knowing what to do in this situation, as Lucia had been crying for more than just a day or two, he reacted quickly.

“Krheung… Thank you.”

Perhaps because it had been in Shiron’s pocket, the handkerchief faintly smelled of him. Lucia gently dabbed her tears with the handkerchief she received, looking at the memorial stone.

[In memory of my dear friend Kyrie.]

She had cried involuntarily, her tears stimulated, but her first thought was who could have written it.

‘Was it Seira? Anjei and Vinella can’t write, and Yura died before me. Seira is the only one who would call me a dear friend…’

Lucia sobbed again and turned to give the handkerchief back to Shiron.

‘Huh…?’

The reddened eyes and the moisture that hadn’t been wiped away…

‘Why is he crying?’

“Shiron, is there something sad?”

“Something sad?”

“You cried… Krheung!”

Lucia looked at Shiron with her reddened eyes.

“Just wondering why you were crying.”

“I wasn’t crying.”

Shiron put the handkerchief Lucia handed back into his pocket.

“Dust… It was just dust in my eyes.”

“…I see.”

Although it was clear to both that these were not tears caused by dust, since Shiron didn’t ask why Lucia was crying, she decided not to pry further.

She couldn’t tell him the reason for her tears, nor could she reveal her identity as Kyrie.

‘…How unsightly.’

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Shiron blushed and started to closely inspect the area around the memorial stone. Now was not the time to be lost in contemplation.

Latera said that her location would be known when he arrived at the holy land. Intruders have invaded the “Hero’s Abode” before. There must be a hint somewhere here leading to the “Hero’s Abode.”

[Prepare offerings for the gods and prove your worth…]

Indeed, the stele was inscribed with many phrases, not just Easter eggs or pranks made by Yura. Each engraved letter bore the marks of time, its age indeterminable. No matter how well maintained, being exposed to the outside air for 500 years naturally wore the edges down.

[The one who is qualified shall be the next warrior…]

[The peculiar resurrection of a god is upon us. We must prepare the next warrior…]

However, these inscriptions were merely phrases that appeared in a dialogue box when the stele was clicked.

Shiron straightened up from his stooping position.

What was he supposed to gain from these unoriginal phrases? He regretted not asking Latera more before they parted, as today was a day full of regrets.

It was then, as he was rolling his eyes.

Suddenly-

Someone approached him.

“…?”

It was a man he hadn’t seen before. Between his slightly opened eyelids, greyish-blue eyes were visible. Given the [Lion’s Eyes], he seemed to be from Brahham’s defense force, but why a member of Brahham’s defense force was here was beyond him.

As Shiron looked puzzled, the man started talking out of the blue.

“Hello. My name is Asad.”

“Ah… Yes, I see.”

‘What’s with this guy?’

Shiron cocked his head and stared at him.

“Do you need something from me?”

“Yes, I do.”

The man who introduced himself as Asad smiled subtly.

“You have a kind-looking face.”

“Thank you. But what does that have to do with your business?”

“Why wouldn’t it? It’s said that those with true faith have kind faces.”

“I see… It seems you have no business then, so I’ll be on my way.”

A strange person. Shiron, not wanting to be involved any further, quickly turned and walked away from him. However, the next words he heard stopped him in his tracks.

“Do you believe in God?”

“Yes, I do. How could I, as a priest of Lucerne, deny God?”

He was about to say he didn’t believe but couldn’t risk being branded a heretic here. Shiron collected his thoughts and gave an appropriate response.

“Is that God the ‘right God’?”

“What are you saying… Are you suggesting I believe in a ‘peculiar god’?”

His response was sharp, unable to mask his irritation. Shiron’s mood soured instantly at the unexpected intrusion. A frown creased his brow, and before he realized it, Lucia had joined him.

“Not at all.”

Perhaps it was the strength in Lucia’s [Lion’s Eyes] that caused a flicker of unease in Asad’s narrow eyes.

“By grace, last night I heard the voice of the Lord.”

“The Lord?”

“Yes. The Lord commanded me to meet you.”

Shiron’s thoughts drifted to Captain Malleus. During his studies in Lucerne, he had been greatly indebted to the man rumored to hear the voice of God.