Vol 3 Chapter 33

It was not the Ilumine who wore modest white clothes, never lifting her bottom from the floor, and bluntly criticized with an expressionless face, but an Ilumine with eyes full of emotion, wearing comfortable clothes... and above all, with short hair. It was a shocking sight indeed.

Even if one could overlook the hair and clothes, her expression was so different that one might believe she was a twin. Though her face hadn't changed at all, seeing such a distinctly different appearance finally made Kapros nod involuntarily, realizing that this truly was a past version.

In any case, one thing that he had been certain of but only now truly believed was that Ilumine had indeed been with Lord Superior's group 500 years ago. Therefore, this memory vision would provide new information while also clearly raising other questions, but...

As Kapros was thinking this far, he noticed Superior with his pale complexion, quietly smiling and shaking his head.

"No, that's enough. Really, Lumi."

Though Kapros didn't know when exactly this memory was from, it was the first time he had seen Superior looking so exhausted. Unlike Ilumine with her backpack, Superior looked this way despite his simple attire without even a robe.

"...Next time we meet, I'll... first..."

Kapros doubted his ears for a moment when he heard Superior mumbling something hesitantly. Could it be that Lord Superior actually liked Ilumine?

The reason for this suspicion was partly due to Superior's indescribably strange expression as he bowed his head with a faint smile.

'But he doesn't look that shy...?'

The atmosphere was too gloomy to be called shy. The forced cheerful tone in his speech was clearly noticeable.

"Everyone, and you too, are like this because of that person."

Ilumine said with a pained look.

"I saw it then too. It's no one's fault. No being could have prevented that incident."

"...Ilumine."

For a moment, Superior's face showed an expression as if he had been caught off guard, and a brief dark pain flashed across his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"It's not because of that. It's just... lately the demonic energy has grown stronger, and the sun doesn't rise. While it's not as fatal for humans as it is for elves, the lack of sunlight still has a negative effect on humans. So, hurry and go."

Superior waved his hand with a bright smile, but it was so obviously forced that it had the opposite effect.

'It seems Ilumine was about to leave for somewhere.'

Kapros had suspected as much from the backpack on her shoulder, but Superior's words confirmed it. He didn't know where she was going, but to leave alone at dawn... What could have happened?

"..."

"Go on. Countless of your kin who need you are waiting. Just as I've decided to go my own way, you should go yours."

Superior smiled and waved at Ilumine, who was hesitating without speaking. This smile, at least, didn't seem forced. Faced with that expression that seemed to no longer want a response, Ilumine tried to speak several more times but finally just nodded once and turned around. Superior's face twisted sadly as he watched her. After a long while, only after Ilumine's figure, which had kept looking back as she walked, had disappeared into the distance, Superior slowly turned and quietly spoke.

"...Next time, I wanted to say that I'd like to go first, with him... to the forest you'll newly grow."

'Him?'

Regardless of Kapros's confusion, the vision darkened after showing Superior's unusually small-looking back, then quickly brightened again. A new location appeared before his eyes.

'Huh? Where is this?'

Surprisingly, it was in front of the very cabin where Kapros had just cast Aiagas. However, he could tell this was a continuation of the memory vision because the cabin, which had been old and covered in moss, now clearly showed fresh wood. The trees surrounding the cabin weren't very big either.

Just as Kapros was wondering what would happen here, the cabin door opened and someone walked out in front of him.

"I knew your power was great, but I never imagined you could grow a forest at the edge of a desert like this... It's truly amazing."

"Yes. You'll be the first and last human guest in this village."

For a moment, Kapros almost gasped in surprise.

The voice of the man who had come out first was definitely Superior's. But his appearance was completely different from what Kapros had seen until just now. With short-cropped hair, a large scar on one cheek, and a more muscular body, he looked like a completely different person. Only the soft lines remaining on his face allowed Kapros to barely recall his former appearance.

Had he grown taller too? Maybe not, but seeing Superior's transformation, which was incomparable to Ilumine's earlier and almost unbelievable as the same person, left Kapros feeling dazed. He had been surprised many times today.

"Back then... I was worried because I left in such a hurry, but I'm glad to see you're doing so well."

Ilumine smiled back at Superior's smile, but she couldn't hide the shadow on her face.

"...I'm sorry about that time."

"Ah, what are you saying? Between us who transcend races. Have you forgotten what you said then?"

"But I still think about it sometimes. If only I had..."

"Stop."

Superior gently but firmly interrupted Ilumine, who was speaking with some difficulty.

"You don't need to feel guilt that's so unlike you. ...It's already been 10 years. ...Besides,"

Superior, who had been speaking with emphasis on each word, briefly closed his eyes and then opened them, smiling faintly.

"I think that even if anyone else had been there at that time, the result couldn't have been changed. ...That's what I believe. That's why I'm even happier to meet you like this."

His faded red eyes, which seemed to be looking at some distant place, had an expression accustomed to long-standing pain. Ilumine looked at him, furrowing her brow for a moment, then let out a response like a sigh.