The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 234

It was Aki who calmed Setsnen, who was biting Elamas with even more force. Aki picked up Setsnen, who released his teeth.

As the purple energy intensified around the bodies of the primitives, now scattered like discarded dolls, Aki quietly looked down at Elamas.

For some reason, Elamas found that gaze very unpleasant. Disgusting. Unbearable.

“What, heehee, did you come to beg for your life…?”

He let out a sneer mixed with the sound of his death throes.

“Uncle Shale told me to deliver these words to Sister.”

Instead of getting angry, Aki put Setsnen down and hugged Elamas’s head tightly.

“He said he already forgave Sister.”

*Who has been calling you my sister since a while ago?*

*And Shale?*

But as I felt this warm embrace, as I smelled this familiar scent, why were tears flowing uncontrollably…

Was it the longing of the soul that even the chains of oblivion could not bind?

“Elamas…”

Rain called out to Elamas with difficulty.

“You don’t know the price of the abyss… the loss of humanity… you were just being used as you pleased, forgetting the most important thing…”

“…?”

“I understand that feeling… Toureina was the same as you… forgetting everything about Rin, just…”

Elamas burst into laughter like a madman, then retorted sharply.

“Shut up! Do you think I’m doing this because of some longing like that bitch Toureina? Without any conviction? Don’t be ridiculous!”

“…”

“What I despaired of was the very foundation of this world! If it’s not changed, the world will continue like this! The strong are sacrificed as if it’s natural, and the weak multiply like cockroaches!”

*We must eradicate them all.*

*We must prevent those trash from running rampant.*

“The weak don’t think at all! What kind of sense of loss do the families and friends of those born with power have to live with!”

*I’m not tearing down.*

*I’m saving those who are truly valuable. I’m trying to create a valuable world.*

“We must break the shackles of such a world. Since no one else thinks of breaking them, I, I have no choice but to step up and break them!”

Rain, who had been looking at Elamas, who had delivered his last outburst, with a gaze that seemed to pity him, closed his eyes.

“Lies, you’re making excuses… was it because you couldn’t bear it otherwise?”

“Whether it’s an excuse or not…!”

“If it’s not an excuse, then why are you crying…?”

*Don’t be ridiculous, am I crying?*

*My vision is blurry.*

*But this is just my consciousness fading because I’m about to die.*

“And there’s a contradiction in your words. Do you think you were strong from birth? Really?”

Then someone came and gently wiped away the tears that wet his eyes.

It was a warmth and touch I didn’t remember, but I knew for some reason that I had longed for this feeling all my life.

「Elsara.」

What was reflected in my retina was a beautiful young man with red hair, taller than Rain, who I had been dealing with until now, and wearing dragon scale armor.

「It’s over now. Let’s stop.」

*What do you mean?*

*What do you mean it’s over?*

*Nothing’s over yet. I have to raise an army of the dead. So I have to revive my unjustly killed sister…*

Huh?

*Did Lilkiur Sister die? She should be down below the barrier now, right?*

That’s right, it wasn’t my sister who died… it’s my dad who I’ve been longing for all my life.

The great dragon named Shalesarum.

‘The place where I was born is…’

I don’t know exactly where, but it’s in the south-central part of the Adrion continent.

Before the [establishment of the current political boundaries], it was land close to the demon realm.

I have almost no memory of my parents, but I vaguely remember that they hid me during the demon attack and died.

‘They said they were guardians. Elves who were tasked with guarding the abyss.’

I was hungry.

I was thirsty.

And I was scared.

I couldn’t go outside. As I was thinking that I might die in the darkness of the crate, that person appeared in my life.

– Ah.

Hair with the hue of flames and a beautiful appearance. I could tell at a glance that he wasn’t human.

– You were alive, thank you.

After finding me in the crate, he suddenly hugged me and started crying.

Why is he crying?

Why is he apologizing?

What did he do wrong…

I seemed to be a worthless burden, but he took me in and raised me like family.

– The name the great fire gave me is Shalesarum. You can call me that too.

Shalesarum, the true dragon who protects the peace of the continent, the true dragon among true dragons who is respected by all races for his great achievements.

The most great and noble person in the world adopted the lowest and most lowly me as his daughter.

– From now on, your name is Elsara, which means pride in the dragon language.

The smile Shalesarum gave me that day when he gave me my name warmly fills my head.

‘Ah.’

I know why this memory came to mind every time I faced that baby dragon.

It’s so similar…

Is it because he’s a real relative? He said he was a baby of the true dragon of Harbadonia…

‘I don’t care about that.’

Because that kind of guy didn’t exist 500 years ago.

Being with you was the pride of my life. I felt like I wouldn’t want anything more if I could be by his side for the rest of my life.

I thought the gods took my family to give me this joy.

I always offered prayers of gratitude to the gods, and whether that led to faith, my skills improved rapidly and I was even anointed as the youngest apostle.

I thought I would praise and spread the grace of the gods for the rest of my life and die.

Until the demons’ offensive became fierce.

When the power of the southern front was weakened by the betrayal of the mercenary group called Slayers, the demons began to run wild.

The humans in the southern region came every day and told of their hardships. They asked me to subdue the demons.

– That’s all good, but why don’t you guys try to fight? Even implement a conscription system to replenish your forces!

– Apostle, you say that because you don’t know how fierce the demons are. We are that…

– Then you want Dad to go there alone?

I couldn’t understand.

Why don’t these guys try to fight on their own and just rely on others?

And Shalesarum’s answer was also difficult to accept.

– My time has come. Elsara, now I leave the rest to you. Become a torch that illuminates this world.

Shalesarum, who left for the border with a hundred wyverns, drove the great army of the abyss beyond the barren desert and died.

He died…

Why did he have to die…?! What did he do wrong…?

Those guys are holed up in their rooms, and Dad has to die in such a foreign land?

‘Should I forgive and embrace these guys?’

Are they worth it?

No, they’re not.

I couldn’t stand to see those who weren’t even worth living laughing and enjoying themselves on the sacrifices of others.

– Do you want to meet the true dragon again? It’s not impossible. Since the faith you have in your heart now is the same as mine, I will teach you how.

That hatred and resentment opened the way to meet the abyss.

‘How pathetic.’

Blinded by hatred and resentment, he joined hands with the abyss, which killed his biological parents and Shalesarum.

‘It’s really pathetic.’

Perhaps even hatred and resentment were just tools to excuse longing. One day at a village festival, Shalesarum said.

– Elsara, meeting you there that day was the greatest joy of my life.

– Huh?

– Seeing you grow day by day, I realize how valuable and beautiful this world is that my people protect with their lives.

– You see me?

– A child who used to cry alone without even being able to eat has now grown up to give laughter to others and wipe away their tears. You are the very possibility of this pitiful world.

That day, Shalesarum pressed his forehead against Elamas’s forehead, leaving a smile that he should never forget for the rest of his life.

– I have entrusted my heart to you, so now I can go and fulfill my mission.

That day, Paladin Snire, who was with him, advised Elamas not to forget that smile.

– Please remember once again what Shalesarum entrusted to the apostle that day.

Elamas couldn’t hear that sound.

And he murdered two apostles and twenty elven priests who came to subdue Elamas.

Afterwards, he was exhausted, captured, secretly executed, and treated as missing.

– The apostle of Seonryung, who was expected to inherit Shalesarum’s will and illuminate this land, has become such a criminal…

He defiled Shalesarum’s name.

He betrayed the heart that the person who gave him everything had entrusted to him.

I should have shared what I had received, I should have conveyed the light and emotion I felt that day to others.

‘That’s right.’

It wasn’t that I hated that baby dragon. I couldn’t bear it because I was ashamed.

‘Because that eye looks so much like Shalesarum.’

Looking at that eye that looks at me with sad eyes, it’s like showing the flaws of my life in front of Shalesarum.

‘Looking back, it was a truly pathetic life.’

There were plenty of opportunities to correct my mistakes, but I rejected those opportunities over and over again.

[Ro ha bel tars… Will you abandon your desires like this?]

Then I heard the whisper of the abyss deep within my soul.

[No, there is still a chance.]

And from beyond, from the depths of the soul that even the oblivion of the abyss could not reach, I heard Shalesarum’s voice.

“Aki, come here! It’s going to explode!”

“Leave that guy alone and hurry!”

“We have to put up a barrier! Take Setsnen and come to me! Quickly!”

Elamas’s head, held tightly in Aki’s arms, breathed its last breath.

Then, at that moment.

The bodies of the primitives, the power of the necromancy that had reached the point of explosion, slowly faded and soon completely lost its light.

‘He withdrew the power of the necromancy himself…?’

As Rain blinked his eyes, unable to believe the reality before him, Aki closed Elamas’s eyes, which had not yet been closed.

“Now, sleep comfortably, Sister.”

It’s warm.

Is this what peace is?

The light and warmth I felt when I first met Shalesarum that day is right here. What I’ve been searching for all my life…

“Huh…?”

When I opened my eyes dimly, I was in a space where light and darkness coexisted.

The realm of light was surrounded by chains and I couldn’t go there. The path was only connected to the realm of darkness.

As I was about to go into the darkness, acknowledging my sins, Shalesarum called Elamas from the front.

「Now, let’s go.」

Let’s go.

Why?

Why are we going together? Dad doesn’t need to come here. The path to the light is connected there.

「I left you with too much pain and too much burden. So all the things you did were my fault.」

“No, it’s my fault, Dad didn’t do anything wrong.”

「So I decided. No matter where you go, I will not leave you. Even if it is the scene of punishment set by the gods.」

Elamas’s world became blurry. I couldn’t hold back the tears that were pouring out.

“I, I did wrong, Dad, I did everything wrong, please forgive me, I defiled Dad’s name, I couldn’t continue Dad’s heart.”

Elamas, who jumped into Shalesarum’s arms and hugged him, just like he did 500 years ago, burst into tears.

「It’s all over.」

And just like 500 years ago, Shalesarum pressed his forehead against Elamas’s and gave a faint smile.

「I have forgiven all your mistakes since the day I took you in.」

Akilea, thank you.

And Alakish, my beloved sister. Truly your daughter has given rest to my daughter.

Please forgive your foolish younger brother who always only receives from you.