Chapter 130
A wide field in full bloom.
In that dreamlike field stood a silver-haired woman and a black-haired man.
Angelina knew this place well.
The hill called the tomb.
Perhaps… a memory she had already seen.
The woman shining brightly, radiating the sun’s embrace, opened her mouth.
“Artoas. Why are you frowning like that again?”
When she spoke to the man with a black sword beside her, his expression became even more furrowed.
“Those fools have left their posts guarding Sun again.”
At this, the woman called ‘Sun’ smiled.
“They’ll be back soon. This happens all the time, doesn’t it?”
“The problem is that things that absolutely shouldn’t happen keep happening regularly. You should properly scold them so this doesn’t happen again.”
“It’s fine. Thanks to them, I get to be alone with Artoas, which I like.”
At her response with a smile, the man’s fingertips visibly flinched.
He tried to grip his sword firmly, pretending complete composure, but his nape was already red, and the woman’s smile deepened.
Just then, there was a commotion at the bottom of the field.
Turning their heads, they saw two men climbing the hill, tumbling over each other.
The man with a handsome face and long silver hair had enormous wings on his back, while the man with fiery red hair like a flower held a blue rose in his hand.
“Sun! Look what I found! I think it will suit you well!”
“Give that back! I made it to give to her!”
Their bickering naturally brought a smile.
“I’ll give this to Sun!”
“Grandonia, you thieving bastard! I’ll kill you! Give that back!”
The silver-haired man threatened with his wings spread wide, but the red-haired man paid no attention and kept running.
The black-haired man beside them clicked his tongue.
“What are those idiots doing, disappearing from their posts and suddenly showing up like this?”
“Haha.”
Happy laughter escaped through Sun’s teeth.
“I love you, Sun!”
“You crazy %#$&#@!”
“He’s lost it.”
When the red-haired man called ‘Grandonia’ finally knelt on one knee before her and offered the rose, the other two responded with curses.
“Ahahahaha.”
Sun’s laughter grew brighter, and the world grew brighter with it.
But the happy space became distorted.
The location changed again.
It was a rose vine garden. Though the roses seemed wild and scattered roughly, there was a certain pattern to them, making it a pretty place that didn’t look completely disheveled.
In the center, a blue rose notably larger than the others stood out prominently.
It was alone in the form of a bud, as if it hadn’t fully bloomed.
It was a beautiful place, but the four people standing there didn’t feel that way.
They were breathing heavily.
“It’s only a matter of time before this place is discovered.”
The one speaking was the silver-haired man. A massive amount of the Sun’s power was emanating from his fingertips, hiding the place with a barrier.
Outside the barrier, fog was spreading thickly, creating optical illusions and confusion.
Not only that, but the divine beasts under his command were scattered around, diverting attention.
Numerous divine beasts that only looked to the Sun. Gathering and ruling them was how the Sun’s priests followed and worshipped her.
“I’m sorry… If only I hadn’t been deceived by that witch, Sun wouldn’t have…”
The red-haired man trembled, tearing at his hair. His face was distorted with frustration.
“Now is not the time to discuss blame. Apologies can wait.”
The one cutting off his despair with a firm tone was the black-haired Artoas.
Beside him was a woman with bandages around her neck. The bandages kept turning red. It was because her wounds had not yet healed.
“I think it should be torn apart.”
The silver-haired man said after scouting the surroundings by controlling the divine beasts.
“I’ll stay here, so the rest of you should escape.”
“…!”
The woman shook her hands as if to say no, but she was stopped by the silver-haired man.
“Go, someone needs to hold them back.”
“Will you be alright alone, Zeplictus?”
“Artoas, why the worry? That’s not like you. This entire area is already one with me. Fighting me is like fighting this forest.”
When the black-haired Artoas asked with concern, the silver-haired Zeplictus replied arrogantly.
“You just take care of Sun.”
Again, the woman shook her head vigorously as if to say no and tried to grab Zeplictus, but Artoas held her tightly, preventing her from approaching.
“They’re getting closer. Please go quickly before it’s too late, Sun.”
As Zeplictus spoke once more, Grandonia, who had been chewing his lips, interrupted.
“I’ll be the bait.”
“…!”
The woman’s eyes widened.
“That way we can buy more time. They already think I’ve completely fallen under the witch’s spell anyway… which is honestly true.”
He spoke with a self-deprecating expression, saying his mind wasn’t as clear as before.
“If I divert their attention, Zeplictus, you’ll have a much easier time, and Artoas will have plenty of time to get Sun away from their grasp.”
“That’s true, but then you’ll die, Grandonia.”
At Zeplictus’s frowning remark, Grandonia snorted.
“Is there anyone here not risking their life?”
At those words, Artoas and Zeplictus let out the same hollow laugh.
“You’re right.”
“And if I don’t do this, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself.”
At his words, the woman in Artoas’s arms gestured and spoke.
“I know. Sun would forgive me. That’s the problem.”
He smiled painfully with an anguished expression.
“Don’t forgive something like this.”
The woman, unable to speak, pounded her chest in frustration.
But neither Artoas nor Zeplictus could take her side this time. They agreed with Grandonia.
“Waaaa. Catch the witch—”
The voices of people began to be heard from far away. Mixed with the cries of divine beasts fighting them.
The faces of the three guardians hardened.
“Go!”
Grandonia started running first. It was in the direction of the sound.
Throwing everything away for her, to protect those he loved.
That was how the Sun’s Rose, who was already too late to regret, apologized.
“Artoas, I trust you!”
Zeplictus shouted as he simultaneously triggered complex magical formulas.
“I can’t say I’ll see you alive.”
At Artoas’s words, Zeplictus burst into laughter.
“You crazy bastard.”
Neither he who made such a joke in this situation, nor himself who laughed at it, was in their right mind.
That was their last conversation.
Artoas held the struggling woman tightly in his arms and mounted the divine beast Zeplictus had prepared.
“Grooooar!”
The divine beast that let out a huge cry resembled a massive wolf.
Its silver fur, which looked as if it was woven from moonlight, was sacred, but the tips of its ears and tail were black as if they had caught the shadow of the sun.
Its eyes were a captivating crimson, and on its forehead stood a single solid horn that looked like it could pierce an iron wall.
“Phoebe, go!”
At Zeplictus’s cry, the divine beast began running in the opposite direction of the shouting, carrying Artoas and Sun.
And the space distorted once more.
A small island in the middle of a large lake.
Sun and Artoas were sitting under a small tree. Artoas was covered in wounds from the numerous battles they had fought to get here.
Sun seemed dazed, lost in a trance. From her red eyes, one could tell how much she had cried.
“…After all that, we end up back here.”
Artoas let out a bitter laugh as he took out the last remaining bandage from his bag.
At his words, Sun looked at the tree with unfocused eyes.
It was still a young tree. Recently planted.
“By the time this takes root properly and becomes a true sacred tree, won’t all four of us be gone from this world?”
She remembered what was said when they planted this tree together.
“I suppose so?”
“You’re stating the obvious as if you didn’t know.”
Sun and Artoas briefly responding to Zeplictus’s words.
Grandonia was the last to pick a fight for no reason.
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