Chapter 162
“……”
Ragnar silently clutched the sheet.
He would have to watch her marry someone, have his children, and live her life for the rest of his life, but that was his share of the pain.
As he had done until now, he would protect this domain like a fortress.
So that no threat would reach Arzeletta’s life. From now on, that would be his mission.
Unlike her, Ragnar knew too well that this was his last love.
Just as a strict fast began at the end of a seasonal festival. The price for the short sweetness he had enjoyed was too cruel.
He would probably have to dedicate his whole life to it.
“……”
But it seemed that the ‘whole life’ was now not so long.
The time he would have to cherish Arzeletta as his last love would not be long.
Ragnar placed his hand over the heart from which he had coughed up blood.
He had once healed this land directly with his own divine power.
Ragnar was the one who had restored all the land polluted by the fairies’ blood and returned it to the humans.
However, as in the case of Medusa, it was dangerous to directly manifest the power of purification on a living being.
He did not know what kind of variable an overly condensed, strong force would cause inside a living creature.
“You will be able to use the power of purification.”
Carmen, who had been silently watching Ragnar, said. It was as if he had read his mind.
“Just like that time when you directly purified this land with your divine power, My Lord.”
“No one has ever withstood that power, Carmen.”
“You, My Lord, cannot be compared to anyone else.”
Carmen took a step closer in the darkness.
“You are fundamentally different from lowly heretical monsters.”
“……”
“Rebuild yourself. Just like you raised this domain.”
Ragnar shook his head.
He wanted to be punished.
He knew that he had abandoned all ethics as a Holy Knight and that only judgment remained.
Ragnar leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
He, who had not doubted that he would be martyred while fighting heretics on the battlefield, was now going to meet his death for the sin of loving a beautiful maid.
His brow narrowed slightly again.
It was an expression that also looked like a faint smile. Carmen frowned along with him.
Ragnar considered the death that was approaching him to be sweet.
“Arzeletta.”
Yoseph called her name desperately.
In her humble bed, Arzeletta had her face buried in her knees.
“Please, eat something.”
Arzeletta shook her head without a word.
After the Lord had collapsed, all work at the slaughterhouse was halted. The worried castle did not need meat. The great sorrow had stopped the killing here.
Arzeletta was submerged in sadness all day.
Yoseph crawled towards her on his knees. Yoseph’s bent back heaved in an even funnier way than when he walked on his feet. If the people of the domain had seen it, they would have laughed loudly, but Arzeletta had not laughed at him for even a single moment.
What Yoseph held in his hands was a bowl of soup.
“Please eat even a little bit, Arzeletta.”
“…I’m sorry, Yoseph.”
She knew of Yoseph’s sincerity in crawling all the way here for her, who was holed up in a corner of the attic, but Arzeletta could not swallow anything now.
“I can’t eat anything…”
“For my sake, just one bite. Huh?”
When Arzeletta lifted her face, which was wet with sweat and tears, Yoseph spooned up some soup as if he was grateful for even that.
The soup, which contained potatoes and carrots, had already grown stiff and cold. Yoseph’s face was contorted in embarrassment.
“I’ll, I’ll go warm it up again, Arzeletta. Just wait for a little bit.”
“Yoseph. Don’t.”
“It’s okay. It won’t take long.”
“Don’t. Don’t be like this.”
Arzeletta looked up at him directly. Her light-green eyes, transparent beyond measure, went straight into Yoseph’s soul once again.
Just the sight of Arzeletta looking at him made Yoseph feel as if his entire body was freezing. He had met her eyes countless times while living with her, but he had not gotten used to it at all.
“…I’m crying because of another person.”
“Ah, Arzeletta.”
“So please don’t be like this. Don’t be so kind to me.”
Her tired face was pale. Yoseph stared as if bewitched at the black hair that was stuck to Arzeletta’s face. Everything that made up Arzeletta was a miraculous ecstasy to him.
“You really make it so that I cannot bear myself…”
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