My hand holding the sword shook for the first time.
Ernst would.... die?
Yvonne!
Then I'll be the tagger!
Yv, Yvonne... heuaang.
Yvonne! I will surely come for you once more! I'll relieve Chernicia's injustice and find all of your family to come and get you!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Yvonne. Promise... I promised you.......
If you're having a hard time, why don't you go out with me?
I thought you were dead.
There's nothing to worry about.
The voice of my good, tearful friend echoed in my ears.
'But if I don't kill him.......'
The sun that lost its light, the darkened world, the demons that covered the sky and the earth, and the dead people that I saw on my way here.
Even in a short half-day, severe damage occurred.
The ancient darkness Tenebris, unless you kill him, the world will suffer more.
Above all, I had an obligation to get rid of him as Chernicia's Head.
'Ernst...'
My throat tingled with pain and surging emotions.
My friend had died even before he was born in his mother's womb. He had already been sacrificed to become a 'vessel' to awaken the ancient darkness.
The one who sacrificed Ernst was none other than his birth mother, Empress Margarate.......
Her will forced Ernst to be born and raised as a threat to the world, without knowing the truth himself.
This fact that I found out was so cruel to my friend.
And also to me.
Chernicia is one of the three apostles who defeated the darkness of ancient times and saved the world covered with demons. We took over her maintenance.
Do you understand Yvonne? It is Chernicia's duty to protect the weak.
Don't forget that you're Chernicia.
'But how am I supposed to get rid of Ernst?'
The mere thought of it made my body tremble.
'Ernst is... Ernst. Whatever he was born with, he's Ernst. But how can I.......'
It was awful.
I couldn't calm down at all.
I took a short deep breath and looked at Tenebris again.
He had a cold, arrogant look on his face, as if he had given up completely imitating Ernst.
Even though the tip of the sword I held was aimed at his heart.
"Are you really going to kill me?"
Tenebris burst out laughing.
"I feel sorry for the prince. Even the girl he liked was taken by his brother twice, and now he's going to die at her hands."
"Shut up."
I was angry at the way he laughed.
"Don't talk rashly about Ernst."
"You must want to pretend you don't know. But it's true. I'm afraid you don't even know the feeling of the 'vessel' I'm occupying."
"......."
"This prince liked you. When he was young, after he met you again, and now."
I was speechless.
Ernst, a childhood friend.
I know he would avoid eye contact with me while blushing when he was young.
Even I, who was often told by my sisters that I was tactless, could notice if someone liked me so much.
But Ernst, whom I met again, never showed such a sign in front of me.
"Do you want me to tell you something interesting?"
Tenebris spoke in a pleasant voice as if he were talking about someone else.
"The human prince's soul has not died yet. He's my nourishment that'll be used until I'm perfectly resurrected. It's just he's losing his vitality and drying up, because he can't die until I'm resurrected completely."
For a moment he whispered in a low voice.
"But the human prince is listening to all of this conversation now. Inside me."
"......!"
"I guess he's ashamed. Because I told you his secret."
Tenebris said, lifting the tail of his eyes.
"He just wants me to kill him. Because he doesn't want to bother you."
I didn't believe all that.
But whether that's true or not.......
Clench.
It broke my heart.
To the point where I shed silent tears without realizing it.
Tears that rolled down my cheeks fell down at the end of my chin.
A darker smile bloomed over Tenebris' face when he saw it.
"So, with your hands, why don't you grant the poor prince's wish...... Ugh......."
Smack!
Theodore punched Tenebris in the face, who was giggling.
"Yves told you to shut up."
"How dare a human emperor......!"
Smack!
Theodore struck the face of Tenebris once again.
"Yves, let me do it."
The golden daggers floating in the air seemed to unite as one, and they became elongated long swords.
Theodore held the golden sword made by the Holy Spirit in his hand.
"Theodore..."
"I've decided to be a good dog, but I'll be a bad son of a bitch just once. Scold me later."
"But...!"
Contrary to what he said in a calm voice, Theodore's expression was not good.
I wish I hadn't noticed it.
"But Ernst is your family, too."
"......."
Theodore was silent for a moment at the words.
"You know, Yves. I'm a bad person."
Then he immediately said as if he was reassuring me.
"As you say, I'm trash."
"......."
"Trash is being a trash. You just have to swear at me later."
Drip. Drop.
Far from being relieved by the words, only the tears grew stronger.
It was so cruel that Ernst, now my only friend, had to die.
＊ ＊ ＊
Erwin and Odelia were all sulky because of Theodore, who went away with a firm decision and a shake of the head.
Their squirrel-like cheeks swelled more than Jericho's for being sulky.
"We shouldn't have trusted Trash Azo."
"We should have made a bigger trap and pushed him in it."
Theodore handed over Benjamin's whereabouts to Brian and left without looking back.
Erwin and Odelia couldn't believe it.
"How could he do that? Lia definitely blinked in a cute way."
Odelia, who had for the first time seen someone rather than Yvonne who didn't listen to her when she asked with a dainty blink.
"Exactly, how could he do that? Er's hair is so shiny that it blinds people's eyes."
Erwin also acted cute while hanging on his (Theodore's) arms and rubbing his head. But he had never seen anyone but Yvonne not giving in on his wishes.
"Squirrel, do you think this makes sense?"
"Yes, that... No, I don't."
Jericho replied with an expressionless face.
Erwin, Odelia, and Jericho hung by the window and looked up at the dim sky.
"Look Lia, the sky. It looks as black as Lia's hair."
"Are you making fun of Lia?"
Nevertheless, Odelia, who had been sulking for being left by Theodore, raised her eyes sharply.
"Huh? Oh, no, not that......."
"You said it because you know Lia has black hair!"
"No, it's not......."
"Hmph!"
Odelia swung around hugging Jericho tightly.
"Lia, I'm not making fun of Lia!"
Jericho, who was held in Odelia's arms, sighed at Erwin's cry.
'Ugh, how long do I have to be here? I wonder if Tenebris is looking for me by now.'