1.
“……This energy.”
While monitoring the entirety of Gardner territory, the start was feeling her mother’s energy.
“Even though I tried to hide it… Since you’ve recognized me first, I don’t know where to turn…”
“Oh…”
Pretending to be kind, Hestia also said,
“Indeed, could a priest like you endure having someone as unfortunate as me by your side?”
“I can endure it…”
“Oh…”
Though deceived by Asha, Selena knew.
‘Definitely this man…’
…killed my mom.
There was no other way to explain it.
The faint trace of mom’s energy lingering on him, the trembling of his hands as he drew near, the reason why my <Analysis> didn’t work on him.
All of it was because he was not human but some kind of ‘strange something’ that killed my mom.
“Is it the end?”
“Yes!! Thanks, Selena!! After I finish the remaining family matters, I’ll return!!”
“…Fine, tell Asha. I’m stepping out for a while since there’s somewhere I need to visit.”
“Yes!! Don’t worry!!”
Because of this, when everything was settled today, she immediately sought out this man.
Based on the location passed on by Asha, she concealed herself in the deepest shadows, but,
“…Selena?”
She was immediately discovered.
Indeed, he was suspicious. Without wasting time, she cut straight to the chase, but,
“I’ll put it plainly. What did you do to our mom… No, the criminal known as Mother?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
He shamelessly lied.
“It’s best if you answer properly. No matter how much Asha may have taken a liking to you, I may still twist your neck depending on whether you answer or not.”
After pouring mana to threaten him, the guy finally revealed his true colors.
“I cleanly sent her off.”
I knew it, you trash.
The supposedly kind and pious Free Priest Ian Red was just a shell. I’ve known all along.
“What about the body…? What did you do with the body?”
“But there was no body from the start?”
Look at that tongue, laughing at me with such arrogance.
And thus, realizing her conviction, Selena declared while pushing away the looming sleepiness.
“I’ll kill you.”
“Hmm?”
Naively startled, Nahan took a calming breath.
“It seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“Yes. The moment Hero-sama arrived, Mother’s soul appeared by my side. I believe that energy you felt is probably that.”
“I felt it before. Since the banquet.”
“Ah, that was…”
While Selena’s suspicion intensified little by little, Nahan avoided the ending of his sentences and continued to think.
‘She must have surely heard about my second ability through Asha.’
So after adding an excuse, her murderous intent disappeared, leaving behind lingering doubt.
“That doubt likely stems from the fact that she sensed Mother’s energy since the day of the banquet.”
Then,
“I was given my second ability just a few days before the banquet—an ability to communicate with souls. Hence, countless souls began to gather towards me.”
Just a plausible reason is all that was needed.
“Though I don’t know everything about the ability yet, it seems the more I desire to communicate, the more souls come to find me.”
“Are you saying… that Mother was not harmed by you but actually came to you after she had already passed?”
“That seems to be the case.”
“How am I supposed to believe that?”
“That’s… ”
Nahan briefly faltered, then with a faint smile, he placed his hand on his chest.
“As my vitality returns, I shall bring you to meet the both of them.”
“…Vitality?”
“Yes. It appears you’ve already heard. That’s correct. My second ability is activated at the cost of a portion of my own life.”
It was all a lie, of course.
The second ability, the requirement of vitality—all part of Ian Red’s “setup.”
But if the majority of people believe a lie as truth, then it may as well be true, much like how South Korea, though not a water-scarce country, was perceived to be one.
“Really… Could it be that you truly weren’t the one?”
And besides, ‘Mother’ herself was technically not harmed by me, but by Eclipse.
Since there was no lie concerning ‘Mother’ herself,
Nahan nodded more confidently.
In the face of his calm and gentle demeanor, Selena’s anger subsided.
With the anger subdued, reason came into play, and thus she too bowed her head.
“…So it was like that.”
Come to think of it.
It was an absurd story.
“Mom was among the Top 10.”
A man of inferior abilities who became a Free Priest could not have done it.
And even if, by some slim chance, the man before her had killed her mom, Selena wouldn’t blame him.
Because she too was a top-wanted criminal of the Empire.
If someone had killed her, the Hero herself couldn’t blame them.
Rather, she would have to praise them, saying they were the true Hero.
If the same evil had punished her mom, then all she needed to do was to hunt and destroy that evil.
But if by any small chance a righteous man punished her mom,
“…”
She would have to do nothing but praise that achievement, calling it great.
But,
-Selena, you were the only light that brightened Mom’s dark life.
-Really!?
-Has Mom ever lied to you?
-No!
-Good.
How could I?
-Pretty little daughter. For you, I could do anything.
-…Mom.
-That’s why, don’t worry, and sleep soundly. When the long nightmare ends, and you open your eyes again…
I am still Mom’s daughter,
-Happiness will surround you.
-…Yes, Mom.
And Mom is still my mom.
Her reddening eyes,
Her prickling nose,
Her blurring vision.
When Selena, trembling and sitting down without realizing it, the ever-steady Nahan approached and seemed to have made a decision. He grasped her hand and whispered.
“My recovery still needs more time, but if only for a word, I will come for you, O brave one.”
“…What?”
“Please wait a moment.”
And again, that gentle smile.
Though she had rashly threatened him out of heightened emotion and her own anxiety,
The man said he would burn his own life to help her cast off her lingering sorrow.
Only then did Selena realize.
-Ian Red! He’s a good man!
-Hmm, interesting.
-He’s the kind of person we must prioritize protecting; he is a place of rest for the heroes.
The reason why everyone in Kwangmyeong spoke well of Ian Red.
Regardless,
‘If I alter Black Curtain’s powers slightly to resemble Mother’s, I might make it feel as though Mother really came by. Is it possible? It should be possible now.’
That faint smile hiding his own survival strategy made him the ever-unchanged Nahan.
Thus, shortly thereafter,
【<Black Curtain(Ex)> is being activated.】
【The rank is being adjusted.】
[“<Black Curtain(S-)> is being activated.]
Orae similar to <Mother's> flowed out of Nahan’s body, and after hesitating for a moment, he extended a trembling hand toward Selena.
“Selena, my beloved daughter.”
A short moment of reunion began.
2.
Selena.
A woman separated from her parents due to a cause-unknown, incurable disease, <Eternal Nightmare>.
100 years?
200 years?
Maybe even a few thousand years?
Literally for the duration of eternity, the only memory that had not worn out in the recurring nightmare was her childhood and the father who lost his life protecting her,
and her always-protective mother.
-Selena. My beautiful daughter.
-Mom!
Though I can no longer clearly recall her face now, some things remain vivid.
-I’ll become a strong mercenary like mom!
-Haha! And you can’t even do a sit-up?
-But I can do one now!
-A first-class mercenary can do at least 100 of those easily!
-Eh…
Her ash-gray haired mother, who looked at me with love as if she could die from it.
Despite losing my father early, we were always happy.
However, the disease came.
-Eh, Mom, I…
I’d fall into that never-ending nightmare whenever I succumbed to drowsiness.
-Incurable?
-I’m sorry. Your waking periods will grow longer, and eventually…
-No… That can’t be… She’s never even had a cold!!
That was the first time I’d ever seen it.
The always brave and spirited Mom trembling with fear.
So each time I woke up from the nightmare, I’d ask cheerfully,
-Mom! Don’t I seem a little better?
-Yes, our daughter.
Though I knew it couldn’t be true, and therefore feared it so much,
-Hey! I need to get better quickly, so I can start training. I can still become like you even if I start late, right?
-Yes. Of course.
Wishing Mom wouldn’t be sad, I kept smiling.
However, the disease kept worsening as expected, showing no signs of improvement.
Every time I fell asleep, I woke up to find my hair longer, my view higher, and my growing body feeling like it wasn’t mine at all.
While Selena was trapped in the repeating nightmare, time outside flowed relentlessly.
A few more times.
And then, never waking up again.
“…Yeah. Rather…”
Perhaps closing my eyes and dying would be the best choice for both of us.
Around the time I instinctively realized this, Mom brought good news.
-…Is that true?
-Yes. They agreed to handle everything in exchange for employing me for life. So, Selena, you don’t need to worry; just rest.
Even though the memory of Mom’s face is faded, it still looked so sorrowful that Selena inadvertently opened her mouth,
-…Mom. If it gets too hard…
-Shush. No more talk, please. No more…
-…Yeah. Sorry.
Instead of bringing relief, I just caused more sorrow.
Still, it was the second-to-last sleep.
The longer the nightmare repeated, the later I awakened, so Selena reached out to tell Mom something, but
-…Sleep well, my daughter.
Before she could touch me, I fell asleep.
-Eh… Mom…
In the blurred nightmare, the only clear thing was that one unspoken word.
“Selena, my beloved daughter.”
A message only.
【<Black Curtain(Ex)> is being activated.】
【The rank is being adjusted.】
【<Black Curtain(S-)> is being activated.】
‘It’s Mom. Definitely mom.’
After an eternity of nightmares, Selena finally faced Mother and, trembling, cautiously held her hand and embraced her tightly, whispering.
“I love you, Mom.”
Though just those few words,
“Thank you. Thank you for striving for me.”
That made them all the more touching.
And,
【Easter Egg – <Thousand-Net - Selena> cleared.】
【Clear Reward: <Confirmed Reinforcement Token(Ex)> has been granted.】
“…Sweet.”
And one man benefited from it all.
