Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 588

After saying that as if spitting it out, Isana sighed again and rubbed his face, letting out a groan. He was trying to hold back, but his breathing became rough as if he couldn’t.

My heart broke at the sight of him trying to speak somehow while sobbing to hold back his tears. Still, I strained my eyelids to see him properly. I couldn’t turn away from his last appearance, even though I couldn’t be with him for the rest of his life.

Yes, I will. I promise, Isana. I will definitely do that. I was happy to meet you too. Every moment with you was enjoyable. So I will always remember only the happy days. I will make sure that the time I spent with you doesn’t remain only as regret and pain.

I nodded my head like crazy, unable to stop crying. It wasn’t like Isana could see this, but that was all I could do. Then Isana in the video smiled brightly. As if he had heard my answer. And finally, the last moment of the record arrived.

“Ah, no. Don’t go, Isana!”

“Don’t go!”

I reached out my hand urgently, but it only stirred the air and of course, I couldn’t grab him. Isana’s figure with a gentle smile faded away quickly.

With those words, darkness rushed in. Watching the book fall powerlessly onto the altar, I also sat down on the floor. As I blinked blankly, I felt warmth touching my shoulder. When I raised my head, I saw a face with a mournful expression. It was Trowel.

“Trowel, Isana is gone…”

“……El.”

“Isana is gone.”

I hugged him tightly as if clinging to him. As I sobbed sorrowfully, Trowel patted my back without saying a word.

“Are you a little calmer now?”

Trowel asked when the sobs had subsided to some extent. I smiled brightly as I looked at his eyes filled with many emotions.

“Yeah, I feel refreshed thanks to you. Thank you, Trowel.”

“Actually… I kept wondering if it was okay to show you. I was worried that it might shake you up after you had barely finished organizing your feelings.”

“No. I’m glad I could know Isana’s life. I was relieved to know that he lived hard and well. I’m really happy that I could hear the words he left for me.”

If that wasn’t the case, Isana would have remained only as a painful memory for me. Every time I thought of him, my heart would ache with guilt, and I might not have even dared to think of him. But he asked me not to do that. Now, when sad thoughts come to mind, I could also recall Isana in the happier memories. It was a farewell gift that I didn’t deserve, as if I didn’t deserve to be by his side.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Can I take this book with me?”

“Of course. You’re the owner of the book.”

I carefully picked up the book and hugged it in my arms. I slowly stroked the texture of the hard leather before turning my gaze to the coffins beyond it.

“Trowel, can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes, anything.”

Trowel, who nodded, waited for me to continue. I took a deep breath as I looked at his eyes full of trust and affection.

“My contractors, they were really wonderful people, right? Was I a good contractor to those people too?”

The golden eyes filled with light flickered. Trowel hugged me with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

“Of course, El. Before and after, I will never be able to meet a better Spirit King than you.”

Leaning on that affectionate warmth, I wiped away my tears again. I finally let go of the lingering attachments that I had been holding onto. Now it was really goodbye.

* * *

When I came outside, the bright sunlight greeted me. The gray clouds were receding, and pieces of ice were melting on the wet ground where sleet had been falling. I took a deep breath of the air full of the scent of winter and stood still in that spot for a moment.

But the chatterbox interfered with my immersion in sentimentality. I quietly looked down at the red longsword I was holding. Originally, I was only going to take the book, but I couldn’t ignore Fire Buster’s plea to take him with me, so I brought him out with me. Holding it like this, it reminded me of the one I always carried around 4,000 years ago, and I felt strange. Fire Buster wouldn’t remember it at all, though.

“You’re not a person.”

……Should I just put him back and come out?

I forgot for a moment that he was more than just talkative because I was only thinking about the good times. Could it be that guarding the book was just an excuse, and he was actually just abandoned because no one wanted to be his master? A reasonable suspicion arose.

“Were you like this when you were with Davian?”

He hardly talked. That’s a relief. There were already a million things to fear, and I didn’t want to add any more karma here. As I was about to let out a long sigh, ignoring his urging for an answer, Trowel smiled and said.

“Give it to me. It’ll be a hassle for you, so I’ll take care of it.”

“Huh? You don’t have to go out of your way… It’s a hassle for Trowel too.”

“It’s okay. That guy knows how to pick his spots. And it’ll be a hindrance to a happy reunion.”