Chapter 153

One Who Burns Eternity (3)

While I hadn’t anticipated this exact phenomenon, I had expected that Ilina Crowley’s mental state would shatter.

That’s precisely why we’d set out before sunrise.

We forcibly dragged the hollow-eyed Ilina Crowley along and arrived at the next hut.

We lit a fire and consumed magical tools.

I raised the barrier’s output to create an environment that wasn’t just tolerable, but actually warm enough to feel comfortable.

Considering the long journey ahead, this could be considered wasteful, but right now it’s necessary.

“Are you alright?”

Ilina Crowley was huddled up, wrapped in a blanket.

She must have a lot on her mind.

That’s why I hadn’t spoken to her until we reached the hut.

Once we confirmed the estate was in that condition, we needed to get to another hut quickly.

“Alright, you ask?”

Ilina Crowley looked up at me with empty eyes.

“I’m not alright.”

She looked too distressed to put on her usual bravado.

The fact that her parents had sacrificed themselves hadn’t changed. Nor had the fact that her flames had burned them.

This incident merely showed that the scene from the past had been preserved until now.

There’s no reason for her to feel guilty.

However, I can’t do anything about the fact that she still considers it a sin.

“You know what? I know it’s ridiculous that I’m acting this way.”

“No. Ridiculous? It’s perfectly understandable.”

“They were already dead anyway. They died meaningfully to save me. Even if their corpses have been burning until now, it’s not like they could feel pain, and if we’re talking about funeral methods, cremation exists, doesn’t it?”

Ah, I see. I understand now.

Ilina Crowley is trying to convince herself, not me.

Just when I thought she was starting to come to her senses, she puts on this false bravado. It’s heartbreaking.

“If you could truly think that way, then yes, you’d be fine.”

“……”

So I exposed what was really in her heart.

Ilina Crowley had reached her limit. In that state, she’s trying to force herself to stand up.

There’s no need for that. When you’re in pain, the best thing is to lie down and rest comfortably.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“You… if you say things like that, what do you think will happen to me?”

“There’s no sin in acknowledging pain when you’re hurting.”

I knelt in front of Ilina Crowley and gently embraced her as she whimpered with a hollow expression.

“That way, someone can comfort you like this, can’t they?”

It’s a common saying.

When joy is shared, it doubles; when pain is shared, it halves.

“You’ll be alright.”

“……”

Ilina Crowley didn’t answer. She just clutched my clothing tightly, trembling with her head bowed.

“I said I’d make it so, didn’t I? So trust me and let yourself feel the pain.”

“Okay…”

Ilina Crowley will need time. So I intended to comfort her, helping her endure that time fully.

*     *      *

By the time Ilina Crowley had cried herself to exhaustion and fallen asleep,

I laid her down on the blanket and stepped outside the hut for a moment.

Outside, a blizzard was raging.

If we’d been just a little later, we might have been stranded in the snow field.

It was fortunate we’d set out early.

“Línea?”

Feeling uneasy, I put tobacco in my mouth and was about to light it when Línea quietly appeared.

I hastily extinguished the freshly lit tobacco and looked at her.

“You don’t need to worry. I’m not angry.”

“No, still…”

“Actually, I would have been angry if you’d hesitated in that situation. The person I fell for is someone who acts that way in such moments.”

Línea approached me with a gentle smile.

It wasn’t empty words. Her expression genuinely seemed to find me admirable.

“So stop worrying about my feelings. Let’s focus on taking care of Princess Ilina right now. I won’t give you dirty looks or anything.”

“Are you really okay with that?”

Ilina Crowley has feelings for me. I’ve been putting up walls so far, but her clinginess has been extraordinary from the start.

If I focus on taking care of her, her feelings will obviously intensify.

But I can’t entrust this to someone else, as there’s no one else with the right skills.

If I had to choose, it would be Línea and perhaps Hecate when she’s not being difficult.

But from everything that’s happened, it’s clear that Línea and Ilina Crowley don’t get along well.

Meanwhile, Hecate remains unpredictable, so I can’t guarantee the outcome.

She is, after all, undead. It wouldn’t be good for her to get close to someone grieving over death.

Moreover…

She is a trial.

She’s the master of the ghost city that harvests people’s regrets. I can’t entrust this problem to her.

“Lost, you know what? I’m more jealous than you might think.”

“I know.”

Even just looking at her recent behavior makes that clear.

“So I need to take this much at least, so I can bear it.”

Línea came close enough that our breaths almost mingled, then rose on her tiptoes to kiss me.

Our first kiss since that day.

More dynamic, more passionate, and lasting longer than before.

“Phew…”

Flushed face, moist eyes, the sound of catching her breath.

In what felt like a dream, Línea smiled gently.

“So this is what your tobacco tastes like.”

“Sorry, the timing wasn’t good.”

“No, I actually like it. I can remember this unique, bitter scent while I wait.”

“Don’t remember that.”

“I refuse.”

Línea gave a mischievous smile, licking her lips as if savoring the aftertaste.

Easily slipping from my grasp, she eventually took the doorknob with light, dance-like steps.

“So I’ll leave the princess to you. She may be someone I dislike… but I don’t like seeing anyone in pain.”

“…Alright, leave it to me.”

Línea nodded and entered the hut.

Just as I was about to put the tobacco back in my mouth, reflecting on the lingering sensation…

“Ahem, ahem.”

This time, Claire slipped out of the hut.

Judging by her awkward demeanor and flushed face, she seemed unable to contain her adolescent impulses.

“Kid, eavesdropping isn’t good.”

“I wasn’t exactly eavesdropping. I had something to say, too, but I didn’t know you two would be doing that.”

“Your complexion looks healthier than usual.”

“Shut up.”

Claire stood beside me with a crooked expression. She coughed as if the tobacco smoke bothered her.

But since she’s healthier than me right now, I didn’t accommodate her this time. I don’t have much tobacco left anyway.

“Teach me that too.”

“……”

“Ow! Why did you hit me?”

You’re too young to be learning about tobacco.

“Not that! The barrier! I want to learn how to cast barriers!”

“Oh, that’s what you meant? Well, you should have been clearer.”

“Ugh!”

Claire glared at me and threw a punch. In the past, I might have taken it, but not anymore.

Her punches remind me of Titan when we first met.

They hurt a lot if they connect.

“But why barriers all of a sudden?”

“I have eyes to see and ears to hear, you know? I can tell the situation isn’t good.”

“Well, those eyes and ears also did some peeping and eavesdropping, so I can imagine.”

“Stop mocking me.”

Still, it’s admirable.

With Ilina Crowley in this state, I would have had to maintain the barrier alone for 24 hours.

If I failed to maintain it for even a moment, Skadi’s cruel cold would devour us instantly.

I’d already confirmed that mana and holy power leaked outside the body would freeze.

So if we let the heat escape even for a moment, we’d be like frozen pipes in winter.

We needed to maintain a certain scale continuously.

Even on relatively good days, Ilina Crowley and I had been taking turns maintaining the barrier every 24 hours.

“Hmm.”

A situation where Claire offers to fill this role.

Honestly, it’s not a bad proposal. Claire has quite a lot of holy power.

However, there’s a fundamental problem.

“I don’t think you’ll be able to use it just by learning.”

Claire is loved by many gods, but most of them fall under the category of ‘light gods.’

It’s unreasonable to think of her as a versatile priest of the Pantheon Temple.

Of course, it all depends on how you approach it.

Even the sun god is connected to the light gods, isn’t he?

The heat of the blazing sun and light. If it’s the power of gods with both attributes, then perhaps Claire could also overcome the current situation.

“You can’t even use simple holy magic, and you want to use the power of the sun god? Wake up.”

Sun gods are of a significantly higher rank than other gods. If I were to compare, they’d be similar in hierarchy to celestial gods.

They’re like the heads of a faction of gods.

“But isn’t trying better than not trying at all?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Though I’d be overworked in the process of teaching her.

Even if I explain the god’s name and doctrine, holy magic ultimately needs to be demonstrated. What’s the point of discussing miracles if one hasn’t witnessed them?

Sun gods’ holy magic is particularly difficult and burdensome, but there’s no need to mention that.

It’s something we’d have to address eventually, so it’s right to help when she has such a commendable thought.

And the biggest reason is…

“Well, we’ll be isolated here for a while anyway.”

This place marks the end of our first destination.

Even if we were to proceed further, there are no more huts where we could rest.

This is the frontline reached by pioneers and explorers.

*     *      *

Three days passed.

During this time, the gaunt Ilina Crowley seemed to be slowly completing her emotional processing.

“Haha, I’m fine now.”

“Are you really alright?”

“If I’m not, will you give me a kiss? Then I won’t be fine.”

“I see you’re alright.”

Just the fact that she offered to cast the shield herself and told me to rest showed as much.

Of course, since her energy hadn’t fully returned, I declined. In the process, I patted her shoulder and offered words of comfort, which made her slump again.

Pretending to be strong in front of a priest.

Did she think she wouldn’t be found out?

I embraced her, patted her, and comforted her repeatedly so she could calm down, overcome her grief, and alleviate her guilt.

As promised, Línea didn’t express any complaints about this.

“Argh! It’s not working! You cheater!”

Claire was, predictably, failing at holy magic.

There really are no miracles.

Even if she could use holy magic right away, she would still need to learn how to expand and maintain it.

There’s no hope for that kid.

“Lost.”

“Yes.”

And the one who had been quietly meditating all this time was our party’s strongest warrior, Titan.

He’s become more relaxed since returning from Alfheim.

He doesn’t add to my plans or express doubts.

Part of it is because he trusts me, but basically it’s because he’s now skilled enough not to be bound by such things.

The biggest advantage is that he no longer challenges just anyone to a fight.

Considering that both Eremus and Ilina Crowley are quite skilled, this is significant progress.

And now, at this moment, Titan spoke to me.

“Isn’t it about time to make a decision?”

“…That’s right.”

It’s been three days since we took shelter in this hut. The time has come to make a decision.

Should we continue forward, or retreat and wait for a better opportunity?

There’s quite a distance between our current hut and my target location. Based on the distances we’ve traveled between huts so far, we’d need at least 5 times that distance.

“I don’t want to see people die because of my selfishness.”

“I see.”

“So I need to check one thing and then make a decision.”

What’s the biggest variable I can think of right now?

The bone-penetrating cold? The blizzard obstructing visibility? Or perhaps the indistinguishable snowy landscape?

Wrong.

“Senior, let’s have a chat.”

-Hohoho, do you finally need this senior’s wisdom?

The biggest variable in this journey is.

“Do you know anything about the One Who Burns Eternity?”

-Hohoho! Of course I do!

An unknown entity—whether friend or foe.