I looked blankly at the huge sarcophagus, gaping a little. Then, I asked.
“…Is this the sleeping being you were talking about?”
The small light answered, bobbing up and down again.
[ Even when I fell into this abyss, the being was already asleep in this sarcophagus. At that time, there were many people here besides me, but they all died. They couldn’t escape. Then one day, fewer and fewer people came here… In the end I was left alone. ]
“…….”
The small light crept up to me. Like asking for a hug. I felt sorry for the small light, so I couldn’t reject it. I embraced the small light with both hands.
The small light spoke in a very sad voice.
[ SIster, I was left here alone. So I thought… Was I bad? Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to make Mom and Dad happy… ]
“…….”
I didn’t bother to ask what the small light had done. I did not know it well, but the small light was a child, and everyone tended to behave immaturely while they were young. Judging from the words, ‘I just wanted to make Mom and Dad happy,’ it didn’t seem like the small light had done anything bad.
She probably showed her parents the spectacular magic she could wield, expecting that her parents would be surprised and would praise her.
However, in the era when the small light lived, mages were called ‘monster children’ and were completely shunned. The poor small light’s misfortune must have been that she was born in such an era. She met parents who would reject her even if she was their own child.
Yes, it was all just a misfortune. There was nothing wrong with the small lights. I said softly stroking the small light held tightly in my hands.
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. You are not bad.”
…After saying it out loud, I felt strange.
It felt like something I had to say to myself. To be exact, to myself as a child.
How long had I been waiting for someone to say that to me? ‘Did Mother abandon me because I was a bad child? Am I a bad child like the Duke said? So, is that why Owen and Hessen harassed me?’
‘No, it’s not, of course.’
If I were to meet my past self, I really wanted to say that.
You’re not bad, you’ve done nothing wrong, it’s not your fault.
So don’t be sad.
“…….”
I hugged the small light a little tighter. Water pooled in my eyes. The life of a person whose sorrow was not soothed by anyone was so lonely. Once you get used to that loneliness, you become dull and don’t expect anything from life anymore.
And I grew up to be that kind of person. My life was completely dark because I had to meet Theodore and even have to give up my hopes in him. All I wanted was just a very small light, but even that was not given to me.
But at some point, I was no longer alone.
I will never forget the warmth Charlotte gave me. Harriet, who was mischievous but kind, and Zen who helped me even at a loss…
The world wasn’t that dark.
I now know that no matter how desperate I am, someday I can regain my will to live, and that there are good people who can help me do that.
And that feeling, I also wanted to share it with others.
Just like I’ve been given to others.
“Really, it’s not your fault.”
[ ……. ]
The small light was still shaking a little in my arms. Maybe she’s crying. I hoped what was contained in those tears was not only sadness.
* * *
[ Thank you, Sister. I will teach you how to open this sarcophagus now. ]
The small light hovered over the sarcophagus.
Come to think of it, I wondered who made this sarcophagus.
Its purpose was to seal the dangerous being that’s said to be sleeping inside… It would have been made more than a few hundred years ago… No, maybe more than a thousand years ago.
‘…It could be something from the Age of Mythology.’
I carefully ran my hand over the lid of the gray sarcophagus. I immediately regretted it because my fingertips were full of dust.
I brushed off the dust and waited for the small light to say something more. The small light seemed to be looking for something, and then she muttered ‘Ah, that’s right. That was it.’.
Soon, the small light shimmering towards me spoke.
[ Sister! Come this way! ]
I looked blankly at the huge sarcophagus, gaping a little. Then, I asked.
“…Is this the sleeping being you were talking about?”
The small light answered, bobbing up and down again.
[ Even when I fell into this abyss, the being was already asleep in this sarcophagus. At that time, there were many people here besides me, but they all died. They couldn’t escape. Then one day, fewer and fewer people came here… In the end I was left alone. ]
“…….”
The small light crept up to me. Like asking for a hug. I felt sorry for the small light, so I couldn’t reject it. I embraced the small light with both hands.
The small light spoke in a very sad voice.
[ SIster, I was left here alone. So I thought… Was I bad? Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to make Mom and Dad happy… ]
“…….”
I didn’t bother to ask what the small light had done. I did not know it well, but the small light was a child, and everyone tended to behave immaturely while they were young. Judging from the words, ‘I just wanted to make Mom and Dad happy,’ it didn’t seem like the small light had done anything bad.
She probably showed her parents the spectacular magic she could wield, expecting that her parents would be surprised and would praise her.
However, in the era when the small light lived, mages were called ‘monster children’ and were completely shunned. The poor small light’s misfortune must have been that she was born in such an era. She met parents who would reject her even if she was their own child.
Yes, it was all just a misfortune. There was nothing wrong with the small lights. I said softly stroking the small light held tightly in my hands.
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. You are not bad.”
…After saying it out loud, I felt strange.
It felt like something I had to say to myself. To be exact, to myself as a child.
How long had I been waiting for someone to say that to me? ‘Did Mother abandon me because I was a bad child? Am I a bad child like the Duke said? So, is that why Owen and Hessen harassed me?’
‘No, it’s not, of course.’
If I were to meet my past self, I really wanted to say that.
You’re not bad, you’ve done nothing wrong, it’s not your fault.
So don’t be sad.
“…….”
I hugged the small light a little tighter. Water pooled in my eyes. The life of a person whose sorrow was not soothed by anyone was so lonely. Once you get used to that loneliness, you become dull and don’t expect anything from life anymore.
And I grew up to be that kind of person. My life was completely dark because I had to meet Theodore and even have to give up my hopes in him. All I wanted was just a very small light, but even that was not given to me.
But at some point, I was no longer alone.
I will never forget the warmth Charlotte gave me. Harriet, who was mischievous but kind, and Zen who helped me even at a loss…
The world wasn’t that dark.
I now know that no matter how desperate I am, someday I can regain my will to live, and that there are good people who can help me do that.
And that feeling, I also wanted to share it with others.
Just like I’ve been given to others.
“Really, it’s not your fault.”
[ ……. ]
The small light was still shaking a little in my arms. Maybe she’s crying. I hoped what was contained in those tears was not only sadness.
* * *
[ Thank you, Sister. I will teach you how to open this sarcophagus now. ]
The small light hovered over the sarcophagus.
Come to think of it, I wondered who made this sarcophagus.
Its purpose was to seal the dangerous being that’s said to be sleeping inside… It would have been made more than a few hundred years ago… No, maybe more than a thousand years ago.
‘…It could be something from the Age of Mythology.’
I carefully ran my hand over the lid of the gray sarcophagus. I immediately regretted it because my fingertips were full of dust.
I brushed off the dust and waited for the small light to say something more. The small light seemed to be looking for something, and then she muttered ‘Ah, that’s right. That was it.’.
Soon, the small light shimmering towards me spoke.
[ Sister! Come this way! ]
