At that time, the rain was falling, just like right now.
I saw with my own eyes Scampelier’s disappearing form, until finally a hint of an expression appeared in her right eye.
It was akin to the feeling of a lonely iceberg melting.
The whole world knows of what happened afterwards. I quit the First Division. Because there was no solid evidence that said I had let Scampelier go, I could not be sentenced.
But the people there could see.
So, I was killed by my former friends who joined hands in an unknown forest.
I don’t know how many blades struck me, until “little miracle” reached its limits.
I died.
And then Zhai He was born.
I had only lasted a day since I retired at the end of the war until I was killed.
At that time, I was wrapped in a crippling helplessness and suffering, all muddle-headed. I didn’t know what was right. I didn’t know what was a mistake. I didn’t know what meaning there was to my life.
I forgot Shen Zhen, forgot Luciewayan and Zhi Bu, until I even had cast Ailee to the back of my mind.
At that time I probably had really become “heartless.”
So much so that even my murder was something that I vaguely sensed, without any real feeling.
I only knew that I was not suited to be a hero, and that I had to pay the price.
When I died, perhaps my expression did not have any light in my eyes.
But after Zhai He had lost to Shen Zhen, I gained consciousness.
Following that was endless self-blame and regret. Every time I thought of that battle, I felt like a knife was stabbing though my heart.
Moreover, I missed Ailee.
My life did not just include me, but rather many people.
But that time I just didn’t care, tossing aside the whole world to implement my own brand of justice.
In the torrential rain, I gritted my teeth and converted my irresolvable worries into energy.
When I descended towards the tree trunk, I violently launched myself off the trunk and flew faster.
The surrounding trees seemed to be disappearing around me.
Soon there would be no time.
A little faster, a little faster!!
Chi–
I who was continuously increasing my speed, started to show signs of disharmony.
Then when I stepped on the ground I became aware that something is not right.
Dammit.
The ground underneath had turned into mud from the rainwater. I lost my balance and slipped. My speedy figure tumbled and turned on the ground, hitting two trees in a row before finally laying face up in the undergrowth.
Swaying, I stood up.
This suffering was too light.
I rubbed the blood that was streaming down my face and my dizzy brain.
Although I managed to use magic to protect myself, the speed I had been using in my heartless state left me no time to react.
The heartless state was much stronger because my brain could not catch up to my body.
So, it was unavoidable that I would end up looking so wretched.
Before when I was with the Expedition Regiment, there were normally quite a few people who were jealous that I had such inhuman speed without any magic strengthening.
But for me, being this fast did not make me feel happy.
There were two things I could not catch up to, time and space.
When I was in full-speed mode, I saw everything in my surroundings in slow-motion.
But it was just very slow. Things that happened could not be undone.
I couldn’t catch up to time.
The other thing was when the distance was too far, even with full speed I could not catch up.
There were too many things that were at a speed I could not reach.
But how could I give up at a place like this.
I once again used my full-speed to charge forward.
If I couldn’t run on the ground, then I would spring off the sturdy tree branches.
The patter of raindrops hit my face. From time to time, they would flow into my eyes.
Shabang!!
I was unable to react and lost momentum again, charging full-speed to the ground.
I managed to look back and see that the sturdy tree branches had snapped, only leaving behind a strip of tree bark connected to the branch.
It was rotten wood.
It looked no different than ordinary trees, but the insides were rotted through.
I managed to keep my balance, but I had to use all of my strength to avoid the oncoming tree trunk.
The rough bark forcefully scraped my left shoulder as my balance was broken again.
This time, my entire body fell into the bone-chilling river.
Glug glug, glug glug.
I hadn’t been able to stop from choking on a mouthful of water. The fishy scent of the river sludge poured into my mouth..
I did not dare to step in the mud, so I used all my strength to swim through the water.
Floating on top of the water, the freshwater agitated my tears to flow. I only knew my gasping breaths; my vision had gone entirely grey.
I saw lightning explode overhead, and I used all my strength to swim forward.
Coughing nonstop, my sense were filled with a putrid odor.
A helpless ghost like thing dithered back in forth in my brain.
Every time I pushed through the water with my hand I was hit by a strong rush of water. It was like wanting to grab onto an invisible rope as I violently pulled my body through.
When I finally managed to climb onto the shore, my body felt as if it were filled with lead.
I wrung my clothes dry until no more moisture was squeezed out.
I took a deep breath and coughed out all the water and my stomach twitched.
Maybe Ailee’s speech had started.
Ailee as she sobbed, Ailee as tears rolled down her face.
Wuaaaaaa!!!
I used my hands to prop myself up on my knee and maintained consciousness.
I could sense that my body was emitting black coloured magic.
I was overflowing with magic.
But I had no way of using super speed.
Right now, I was on the outskirts of the forest. Before me was an endless muddy road. I couldn’t have a solid footing on it.
Even if I wanted force myself to use super speed, I would slip again and again, and then there would be a time where I couldn’t remain conscious.
Far away, I could already see the city Ailee was officially touring.
I dashed forward on the ground, without using any magic to strengthen myself. Even if was like this, time and time again, I slipped and rolled, then got up.
My body was covered in a layer of mud
When the inside layer of mud had already dried from heat, I would be covered by a new layer of mud.
My scrapes stung from the cover of filthy dirt.
I didn’t know whether or not it was inflamed, but I felt that my entire arm was swollen.
“Ailee aaaaaahhhhh”
I screamed Ailee’s name.
That was my fiancée, there was nothing else besdies her.
If you say that all that happens in life has a purpose, then my returning consciousness was to find her.
AileeAileeAilee!!
Even if I don’t have the qualifications to say your name, even if I don’t have the qualifications to beg for your forgiveness, I want to find you.
I’m begging you, world. Just let me see her.
I fell to the ground, getting a mouthful of muddy water.
Was fragrance of the first spring grass and soil?
Pui pui pui. [1]
I lowered my head and rushed forward. I would then raise up my head to call Ailee’s name again and again.
Finally, I arrived at the edge of the city. I put on my hood and the water that had collected inside soaked my head.
“Halt, what–”
A hindrance.
I pushed off on the tip of my toes and jumped over the city wall. It was only twenty to thirty meters tall.
With the guard’s surprised yells behind me, I entered the city.
I flew through the streets.
Streets without a soul in sight.
I had to find the crowd.
Speeding by one street after another, clambering over one house after another.
I finally saw a dense crowd that stood ear to ear with their umbrellas open.
Despite not being able to see, I still knew that Ailee was at the front of this crowd.
I desperately tried to squeeze through from the back.
“Hold on, you!”
“What are you doing, your entire body is soaking wet.”
“That’s right!! So dirty!!”
“What are you doing!!”
“If you wanted to see so badly, you should’ve come earlier idiot!!”
Finally, I pushed through the crowd.
An unknown number of fists had landed on me, being kicked countless times, I finally made it to the very front.
“Now that the tour has ended, could everyone present be on their way—”
Said the old and grey butler standing in the shed.
I looked around, but I couldn’t see Ailee anywhere.