Perhaps the God of Death realized that this was his end. The barrier that surrounded the ruined orphanage was like an impenetrable, sturdy membrane. Even to someone without magical abilities, the energy exuding from it was enough to give chills down one’s spine.
The barrier seemed to have been crafted using all of his strength. It seemed to have been created by the God of death to bind Estin’s feet and hold Astina hostage and perhaps to blackmail Mary while he gathers his strength again.
Besides the bleeding Mary, the God of Death was in far worse shape than Estin had realized.
The end of someone who had relentlessly tormented the life of a single person felt miserable and hollow.
Estin looked down at him with cold eyes, raised his sword, and ended it all.
Estin closed his eyes. Strangely, it felt as if all the warmth from his body was gathering around his eyes, making the area feel warm.
One of the curses that had plagued him and his family had come to an end at the expense of his youngest daughter.
“I hope you wake up soon.”
From the moment Mary was born, to when he met her again, and now as she lay like this, in Estin’s eyes, Mary had always been a precious presence that needed protection.
Not just her, but also his other children.
Estin stroked her white forehead with a careful hand, as if touching something very precious.
Perhaps the touch was tickling. Mary’s pinkish second finger wriggled slightly.
Everyone in Mary’s room came out when Dr. Brown said, “Now that Mary has been fed Laminaicho, let her sleep as much as she wants.”
Only the moonlight streaming through the window caressed Mary’s face.
A long shadow appeared in the corner of Mary’s room.
The shadow strode toward Mary’s bed and revealed itself. Arsene looked at Mary still.
“How are you feeling?”
Even though Arsen had been staring at her for a while, Mary’s sudden awakening seemed to catch him by surprise, yet he smiled affectionately and inquired about her well-being.
It appeared that Mary’s eyes were still clouded, perhaps lingering between dreams and reality.
“I had a very good dream.”
Allowing her to bask in the afterglow of her dream, Arsene was quite pleased with her answer.
It was because he knew how much Mary had suffered from nightmares.
“What kind of dream?”
When asked by Arsene, Mary turned her head and looked at Arsene.
He didn’t press her for an answer, just stared lovingly at her blinking eyes.
“I had a lot of dreams.”
“Tell me slowly.”
“……My mom came out first.”
“Mom?”
“Yeah……. She told me I did a good job, and she said she was sorry.”
Despite describing it as a good dream, Mary’s voice was moist with emotion as she spoke.
Mary doesn’t know what she’s sorry about. She thanked Mary for growing up so well and asked her to be born again as her daughter.
Arsene listened to her, relieved that his wish had been granted.
Now, the most powerful God in the Britina Empire was Tarantra, the Goddess of Wisdom.
She, too, was not pleased to see the God of Death expanding his metallurgical power in the empire’s underworld.
However, Tarantra could not easily deal with Leo, who had been active in the darkness and underworld since ancient times.
Tarantra find Arsene to expressed her desire to reward Mary for helping her deal with the Death God.
She even smiled when he said she was Mary’s first love. Arsene thought about it, and then he told her about Mary’s dreams.
The child had been sleepless due to nightmares for a while. He asked if she could perhaps give the child a good dream?
‘A good dream…….’
Tarantra clapped her hands in acknowledgment, and then said something amazing.
He offered to let Mary meet Helena.
‘Helena?’
‘Mary’s mother.’
‘Do you know her?’
At Arsene’s words, Tarantra smiled and nodded.
‘She’s working for me.’
On the day Helena died, Tarantra had personally taken her away when she saw Helena in a good light.
It occurred to Arsene that perhaps Tarantra had already arranged a reward for Mary and called him.
Tarantra told him to speak to her whenever he needed her wisdom.
‘Do you know how to break the curse of the Grand Duke?’
Tarrantra gave a relaxed smile at Arsene’s words. Anyone could tell she knew how to do it.
‘Helena has worked for me for nearly fifteen years now…….’
‘…….’
‘It would be nice to give her a present for the cutie that she and I are first love. Wait a minute.’
He nodded in agreement, but he didn’t fully trust him.
Not all gods can be trusted. However, considering Tarantra’s track record of keeping promises, he could probably have some expectations about this one.
“It must have been nice to see your mother after all these years.”
“She’s doing very well, and she said she’s always watching over us. She told me to listen to my father, don’t fight with my brothers, and be happy.”
“…….”
“And she loves me so much.”
The requests that Mary’s mom made after seeing her for the first time in a long time sounded ordinary enough to Arsene.
But they were words she’d never be able to hear directly in person. Mary immersed herself in the afterglow, considering it a truly happy dream.
He was about to tell her that it wasn’t really a dream, but he closed his mouth.
“And I had a dream when I was Lartha.”
“Lartha…….”
The name both strange and familiar, made Arsene stiffened even more than before.
It was because Mary’s expression became awkward compared to when she talked about the dream with her mother. She said it was a good dream, but he wondered if the God of Death had made another appearance.
“Arsene, you came out.”
“Me?”
“Yes, I was waiting for you, and you came, and we talked and…… had fun.”
“I see.”
Arsene’s voice cracked as he said that. It was strange to hear Mary refer to herself as Lartha.
It was because Mary’s gaze as she said that seemed strangely reminiscent of Lartha’s.
“Was it a good dream?”
“Yes……. My dreams back then were always about the God of Death looking at me.”
Arsene’s eyes widened at the mention of a subject he’d rather avoid.
He wasn’t going to talk about the God of Death until Mary had calmed down. However, Mary, who should have been cautious about discussing it, was surprisingly calm.
“The last time he came out, it was okay because my dad was there for me then. But now…… Really, I guess he won’t come out in my dreams.”
“Yeah. Because he’s gone now.”
“Thank you, Arsene.”
“You did everything, so what are you thankful for?”
“For not forgetting me…….”
How could I forget? She was like a younger sister to me.
Though their blood is not the same, their position as God’s children was the same. Arsene stroked his sister’s hair carefully.
“Lausanne’s novel is almost finished.”
“Already?”
Mary’s eyes went wide. Arsene smiled and nodded, thinking about how cute she was. For once, she seemed like a child of her own age.
“Lausanne asked me something funny.”
“Like what?”
“Since the god of death is dead, don’t we need another god of death?”
Mary seemed taken aback, as if she hadn’t thought about that possibility. Arsen nodded in agreement. Lausanne had suggested that the novel needed an epilogue.
With the villain in the novel dead and the saint about to find happiness, the only thing left was another god.
“You know, I was wondering if you’d like …… me to be the God of Death.”
“Arsene, you?”
Of course, Lausanne’s invitation was probably half-serious, half-joking.
‘The position of God of Death is vacant, Arsene, so why don’t you do it? You’re not even officially a god yet.’
It was the first time he heard that since he was born the son of a god. He responded with light words since he knew nothing about it.
“Oh, of course it’s a joke…….”
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea!”
Mary jumped out of her seat and sat up.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Arsene, and Arsene realized he must have said the wrong thing.
“As you know, the position of the Death God… It’s not like it’s a revered or admired position. Who would want to take up such a position? The word ‘death’ itself has always had ominous connotations and he only took the position because he liked to be feared by people…….”
Arsene’s words grew gibberish, and Mary, who had been listening to him, opened her mouth.
“Arsene, I don’t think I’m as afraid of death as I used to be.”
“…….”
“I told you in my dream my mom came out and asked me to be her daughter again next time. After I had that dream, I really……. I’m starting to look forward to my next life. Of course, it would be scary and sad for someone else to die. The fact that we can’t meet them again. But where there is life, there is death, and it could be a beautiful ending for someone.”
Her words echoed a sentiment Arsene had once pondered. Arsene looked at Mary like that and said in a sad voice.
“You remember everything.”
Mary, who became Lartha in front of Arsene, smiled brightly.
She remembered how Arsene had once rambled on about “what if he were the God of Death” trying to console her after he heard about the atrocities committed by the Death God.
He’d said it to comfort Larta, but it was something he’d always thought about when he looked at the God of Death.
Perhaps the God of Death realized that this was his end. The barrier that surrounded the ruined orphanage was like an impenetrable, sturdy membrane. Even to someone without magical abilities, the energy exuding from it was enough to give chills down one’s spine.
The barrier seemed to have been crafted using all of his strength. It seemed to have been created by the God of death to bind Estin’s feet and hold Astina hostage and perhaps to blackmail Mary while he gathers his strength again.
Besides the bleeding Mary, the God of Death was in far worse shape than Estin had realized.
The end of someone who had relentlessly tormented the life of a single person felt miserable and hollow.
Estin looked down at him with cold eyes, raised his sword, and ended it all.
Estin closed his eyes. Strangely, it felt as if all the warmth from his body was gathering around his eyes, making the area feel warm.
One of the curses that had plagued him and his family had come to an end at the expense of his youngest daughter.
“I hope you wake up soon.”
From the moment Mary was born, to when he met her again, and now as she lay like this, in Estin’s eyes, Mary had always been a precious presence that needed protection.
Not just her, but also his other children.
Estin stroked her white forehead with a careful hand, as if touching something very precious.
Perhaps the touch was tickling. Mary’s pinkish second finger wriggled slightly.
Everyone in Mary’s room came out when Dr. Brown said, “Now that Mary has been fed Laminaicho, let her sleep as much as she wants.”
Only the moonlight streaming through the window caressed Mary’s face.
A long shadow appeared in the corner of Mary’s room.
The shadow strode toward Mary’s bed and revealed itself. Arsene looked at Mary still.
“How are you feeling?”
Even though Arsen had been staring at her for a while, Mary’s sudden awakening seemed to catch him by surprise, yet he smiled affectionately and inquired about her well-being.
It appeared that Mary’s eyes were still clouded, perhaps lingering between dreams and reality.
“I had a very good dream.”
Allowing her to bask in the afterglow of her dream, Arsene was quite pleased with her answer.
It was because he knew how much Mary had suffered from nightmares.
“What kind of dream?”
When asked by Arsene, Mary turned her head and looked at Arsene.
He didn’t press her for an answer, just stared lovingly at her blinking eyes.
“I had a lot of dreams.”
“Tell me slowly.”
“……My mom came out first.”
“Mom?”
“Yeah……. She told me I did a good job, and she said she was sorry.”
Despite describing it as a good dream, Mary’s voice was moist with emotion as she spoke.
Mary doesn’t know what she’s sorry about. She thanked Mary for growing up so well and asked her to be born again as her daughter.
Arsene listened to her, relieved that his wish had been granted.
Now, the most powerful God in the Britina Empire was Tarantra, the Goddess of Wisdom.
She, too, was not pleased to see the God of Death expanding his metallurgical power in the empire’s underworld.
However, Tarantra could not easily deal with Leo, who had been active in the darkness and underworld since ancient times.
Tarantra find Arsene to expressed her desire to reward Mary for helping her deal with the Death God.
She even smiled when he said she was Mary’s first love. Arsene thought about it, and then he told her about Mary’s dreams.
The child had been sleepless due to nightmares for a while. He asked if she could perhaps give the child a good dream?
‘A good dream…….’
Tarantra clapped her hands in acknowledgment, and then said something amazing.
He offered to let Mary meet Helena.
‘Helena?’
‘Mary’s mother.’
‘Do you know her?’
At Arsene’s words, Tarantra smiled and nodded.
‘She’s working for me.’
On the day Helena died, Tarantra had personally taken her away when she saw Helena in a good light.
It occurred to Arsene that perhaps Tarantra had already arranged a reward for Mary and called him.
Tarantra told him to speak to her whenever he needed her wisdom.
‘Do you know how to break the curse of the Grand Duke?’
Tarrantra gave a relaxed smile at Arsene’s words. Anyone could tell she knew how to do it.
‘Helena has worked for me for nearly fifteen years now…….’
‘…….’
‘It would be nice to give her a present for the cutie that she and I are first love. Wait a minute.’
He nodded in agreement, but he didn’t fully trust him.
Not all gods can be trusted. However, considering Tarantra’s track record of keeping promises, he could probably have some expectations about this one.
“It must have been nice to see your mother after all these years.”
“She’s doing very well, and she said she’s always watching over us. She told me to listen to my father, don’t fight with my brothers, and be happy.”
“…….”
“And she loves me so much.”
The requests that Mary’s mom made after seeing her for the first time in a long time sounded ordinary enough to Arsene.
But they were words she’d never be able to hear directly in person. Mary immersed herself in the afterglow, considering it a truly happy dream.
He was about to tell her that it wasn’t really a dream, but he closed his mouth.
“And I had a dream when I was Lartha.”
“Lartha…….”
The name both strange and familiar, made Arsene stiffened even more than before.
It was because Mary’s expression became awkward compared to when she talked about the dream with her mother. She said it was a good dream, but he wondered if the God of Death had made another appearance.
“Arsene, you came out.”
“Me?”
“Yes, I was waiting for you, and you came, and we talked and…… had fun.”
“I see.”
Arsene’s voice cracked as he said that. It was strange to hear Mary refer to herself as Lartha.
It was because Mary’s gaze as she said that seemed strangely reminiscent of Lartha’s.
“Was it a good dream?”
“Yes……. My dreams back then were always about the God of Death looking at me.”
Arsene’s eyes widened at the mention of a subject he’d rather avoid.
He wasn’t going to talk about the God of Death until Mary had calmed down. However, Mary, who should have been cautious about discussing it, was surprisingly calm.
“The last time he came out, it was okay because my dad was there for me then. But now…… Really, I guess he won’t come out in my dreams.”
“Yeah. Because he’s gone now.”
“Thank you, Arsene.”
“You did everything, so what are you thankful for?”
“For not forgetting me…….”
How could I forget? She was like a younger sister to me.
Though their blood is not the same, their position as God’s children was the same. Arsene stroked his sister’s hair carefully.
“Lausanne’s novel is almost finished.”
“Already?”
Mary’s eyes went wide. Arsene smiled and nodded, thinking about how cute she was. For once, she seemed like a child of her own age.
“Lausanne asked me something funny.”
“Like what?”
“Since the god of death is dead, don’t we need another god of death?”
Mary seemed taken aback, as if she hadn’t thought about that possibility. Arsen nodded in agreement. Lausanne had suggested that the novel needed an epilogue.
With the villain in the novel dead and the saint about to find happiness, the only thing left was another god.
“You know, I was wondering if you’d like …… me to be the God of Death.”
“Arsene, you?”
Of course, Lausanne’s invitation was probably half-serious, half-joking.
‘The position of God of Death is vacant, Arsene, so why don’t you do it? You’re not even officially a god yet.’
It was the first time he heard that since he was born the son of a god. He responded with light words since he knew nothing about it.
“Oh, of course it’s a joke…….”
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea!”
Mary jumped out of her seat and sat up.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Arsene, and Arsene realized he must have said the wrong thing.
“As you know, the position of the Death God… It’s not like it’s a revered or admired position. Who would want to take up such a position? The word ‘death’ itself has always had ominous connotations and he only took the position because he liked to be feared by people…….”
Arsene’s words grew gibberish, and Mary, who had been listening to him, opened her mouth.
“Arsene, I don’t think I’m as afraid of death as I used to be.”
“…….”
“I told you in my dream my mom came out and asked me to be her daughter again next time. After I had that dream, I really……. I’m starting to look forward to my next life. Of course, it would be scary and sad for someone else to die. The fact that we can’t meet them again. But where there is life, there is death, and it could be a beautiful ending for someone.”
Her words echoed a sentiment Arsene had once pondered. Arsene looked at Mary like that and said in a sad voice.
“You remember everything.”
Mary, who became Lartha in front of Arsene, smiled brightly.
She remembered how Arsene had once rambled on about “what if he were the God of Death” trying to console her after he heard about the atrocities committed by the Death God.
He’d said it to comfort Larta, but it was something he’d always thought about when he looked at the God of Death.
