Chapter 98

"Okay, then I won't be polite, thank you."

After handing the restaurant's fruit to Silver Wolf and tossing it to Enkidu, Altrouge Brunestud was about to continue eating when...

Holding the fruit, Enkidu looked up at the rooftop, picked up the silver wolf, and turned to leave. "I see. Then I won't disturb your meeting any longer."

Perhaps she had consumed too much sugar at once, causing her brain to malfunction; in any case, Black Princess didn't react immediately.

"Enkidu means that the lord has come down from up there."

Hassan of the Zealot whispered this to Altrouge Brunestud was still eating cake.

"... Eh!?"

The Black-Haired Girl, Future just raised her head, was immediately captivated by the food residue around her mouth.

Hassan of the Zealot's gaze followed Altrouge Brunestud's and she saw the man slowly approaching. To her, he seemed to radiate a dazzling light.

Altrouge Brunestud held her breath.

I miss you so much.

Even though time changes everything and the sea turns into mulberry fields, no matter when or where, my heart will always return to that time, and the memories of the past will release a dreamlike yet fleeting spark.

The Black-Haired Girl's left hand twitched slightly involuntarily, as if searching for the angle at which it had been held.

"Avia."

It had been a long time since she had spoken that name aloud, and just being able to call out to him filled Altrouge Brunestud with overwhelming joy and excitement. Although she had never forgotten him, and although she had called out his name in her heart every day for years, actually saying it aloud was still incredibly moving.

The silver-haired youth walked on, slowly approaching.

"Altrouge Brunestud."

The sound of calling the Black-Haired Girl's name stirred a deep longing within Altrouge Brunestud.

Ah, yes, I think it's the lover I've been searching for all this time, the one I've finally found.

Among the countless shooting stars that fall upon Rome, illuminating a sky full of stars, one star is a young girl.

And so I waited and waited, and finally I found you, the one I love.

This emotion comes faster than tears.

Altrouge Brunestud murmured, "That's wonderful."

"It's so good to see you again..."

Drip, drip, water droplets fell on the girl's face. As the droplets fell one after another, she realized that she was crying again.

Novia stared intently at Altrouge Brunestud, with eyes etched into the girl's mind like a night sky shimmering with silver stars.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

Altrouge Brunestud took a deep breath and grasped the silver-haired youth's outstretched hand.

She wanted to spend her time with these hands, whether the weather was calm or turbulent.

Therefore, facing the hands that were tightly gripping hers, the Black-Haired Girl slowly responded by tightening her grip as well.

"Hmm, is that so..."

If it were the usual Altrouge Brunestud, who is always very proud, she would probably have brushed it off and said she didn't care, but she won't do that today.

"But since I've been looking for you for so long, you have to take me with you wherever you go from now on."

It doesn't matter whether you go to the ends of the earth, the depths of Hell, or the other side of nothingness.

181: Novia and Sigma during their time as Magecraft mercenaries (5k5)

"What should we do now?"

Inside one of the rooms of the swamp mansion, the warm, drowsy rays of the setting sun filled the room.

Despite the fatigue accumulated throughout the day, Sigma's mind, which should have become scattered, was as active as it was in the morning.

He vaguely remembered that before the False Holy Grail War began, Francesca, who had invited him, had said these words to him:

"Once you summon the hero, you can do whatever you want with the rest!"

He gently closed his eyes, recalling the past.

Orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by the government, who recognized his talent for commanding Familiar. He was then thoroughly trained in Magecraft and weaponry in this area, becoming Magus operated as a mercenary. However, due to human experiments conducted by the government, he lost his emotions and spent his days and nights, year after year, in the same way.

After the government he originally served was destroyed, he was hired by the people who destroyed that government; their relationship was nothing more than that.

The previous government even brainwashed Sigma with the idea that "the government is incredibly powerful and an absolute entity."

But from the moment the government changed so easily, he understood that it was all a lie, and that nothing could actually be trusted.

The reason why the emotionally detached young man continued to perform his duties in a bland manner was simply to obtain a good night's sleep and daily meals, since these were the most precious things in the environment in which he was born and raised.

For survival, simply for survival, nothing more, nothing at all on that earth—

In the past, in the desert under the scorching sun, two camels were slowly carrying people forward.

Although they appeared to be a pair, the two rode their camels at breakneck speed with almost no conversation.

"... Sigma."

"What's wrong, Novia?"

The voices blended with the sound of the desert wind, transforming from slightly noisy background noise into background music.

"After thinking about it, even though we're just partners, it would be nice to give you something. Would you like something to eat?"

Upon hearing this, Sigma looked at the plastic bag hanging on Novia's hand. The bag was filled with snacks such as potato chips and gummies that could be bought in ordinary stores, most of which had already been opened.

Novia seemed to be just saying it casually, and didn't seem to mean to give it to Sigma, but Sigma wouldn't accept it anyway.

After all, Sigma was an extremely cautious mercenary; how could he easily eat food from someone he had just met?

Not long after Sigma began operating as a mercenary who used Magecraft, he was betrayed by a fellow mercenary. While they were suppressing a criminal organization composed of Magecraft, he lured Sigma into an ambush, where Sigma was struck and cursed from behind.

Moreover, the other party was a fellow countryman who had grown up in the same facility with him since childhood—in terms of outcome, Sigma was the one who survived.

"I still have... I still have a reason to live! I have people I must protect to the very end! And I want so much more! Our hometown too, nothing changed after that 'facility' was destroyed! So I have to change it myself!"

To prevent people like us from being born into this world again! For this goal, I cannot allow that organization to be destroyed now... So I gave everything! My time, my life, and you, who grew up with me in the same facility!

For something so important, I'd even sacrifice my dearest friend!

Why did it turn out like this! Answer me, Sigma!

You had no grand goals, no will, and you didn't even intend to possess anything—why did you kill me! Why... why did you surpass me? What belief gave you your power?!

What are you living for?! You even went so far as to kill me! What... what are you living for...?

"I simply dislike pain and don't really want to die. The reason I resort to Violence is because humanity has always been dominated by the body as a vessel."

No matter how noble a person is, in the instant of being beaten, their mind will only be controlled by the sensation of pain... Also, what you said is a really unfunny joke.

Although that person considered him a close friend before his death, unfortunately, Sigma didn't share that sentiment at all.

After finishing everything and receiving his payment from his employer, Sigma kept replaying the borrowed comedy DVDs over and over again.

From an outsider's perspective, it might not be obvious that he derives any pleasure from it.

However, his expression remained indifferent; he did indeed derive pleasure from those programs.

However, only one thing, one distracting thought, lingered in my mind.

If I could at least tell him a joke that would cheer him up at the end, it would make his departure a little easier.

Young Sigma at least thought so.

Sigma didn't know much about Novia, only that she came from somewhere else, but he wasn't too concerned. After all, it was just a coincidence that they became partners, and as long as it didn't affect his survival, that was enough.

"By the way, Sigma, what do you usually do in a day?"

"Just like everyone else."

"So that means you're studying at school from the morning onwards?"

"No, I never went to school, and I don't have parents."

"You look so serious. Someone else might feel guilty... after all, I'm just like you."

"That being said, Novia, you seem to be having a pretty good time."

"This is to get glucose, get the brain working, and improve efficiency. Of course, it's also because I want to eat it; after all, I eat steamed buns all day, and I need to change things up occasionally."

Seeing the Silver-Haired Boy's reminiscing expression, Sigma realized that the other person was from a completely different world than his own.

Because whenever Sigma tries to recall the past, the words of his 'foster parents' always come to mind.

"You, you, listen carefully, sons of our own country, what you should destroy are those who intend to take something away from us."

Even though he now understands that those words were meaningless and merely used for brainwashing, Sigma still can't forget them.

Sigma felt neither hatred nor Sorrow towards those words; only the memory of having been repeatedly instilled with them remained. However, when he thought of them as his oldest memories, Sigma always had one thought—

Do those words still influence your way of life?

Sigma would ponder this whenever he thought about it.

Besides my life, is there anything else that can be taken away from me now?

"Oh, by the way, Sigma, have you read the book I recommended?"

"No."

"I was actually quite looking forward to it. Let's talk about our thoughts after you've finished watching it."

Suddenly, Sigma was taken aback by what the Silver-Haired Boy said.

Is that book called * Les Misérables * really that good?

However, this was just a brief interlude, and he quickly forgot about it.

Later, Sigma, who had taken on several more missions with Novia, thought that this guy was really indifferent to life.

Wasting energy rescuing journalists and children trapped on the battlefield when there was absolutely no need to care, and spending money on settling unnecessary people and donating it all... the only redeeming quality was that as long as there was food, one could survive.

After some thought, Sigma came to the ambiguous conclusion that "it doesn't feel much different from a mother who leaves by Novia."

But he actually understood that there was a difference, because Magecraft are people who are essentially detached from human emotions.

However, when Sigma saw the children praising Novia in front of Novia, Sigma thought it might be because Novia was now Magecraft mercenary and couldn't reveal these experiences, but her Desire to proclaim her abilities to the world had accumulated quite a bit.

After all, humans are social animals, yearning for a Sanctuary that can protect them from harm. Although in general values, people admire lone heroes more than armies, the heroes that humans aspire to are absolutely solitary.

After some time—was it a few months or a year or two?

Sigma didn't remember much; after all, survival was all that mattered to him, and the concept of time was completely meaningless.

The boy remembered that day when a generous employer hired three hundred Magus mercenaries and over a hundred Magecraft specifically to kill a mysterious Magecraft who had been sabotaging his business for years.

While human traffickers who help sell children are undoubtedly engaging in 'evil' acts from an ordinary person's perspective, Magecraft are completely indifferent to it. No matter where they are, Magecraft's logic remains unchanged, or rather, it can be described as Order. Even if it doesn't align with modern morality, that's how Magecraft's society is.

Sigma, who was hired, felt the same way, but thinking that Novia would not accept such a thing, he did not inform him.

However, when Sigma arrived at the scene as a mercenary, he saw an unknown Magecraft facing the Magecraft group alone.

On his way here, he heard that this Magecraft had been interfering with his employer's business for the past year or two. However, in his opinion, it was simply a case of someone else hiring him to do the same thing – a case of the thief stealing the thief.

"... They arrived so quickly?"

Although his face was concealed by Magecraft, Sigma, who was fairly familiar with Novia, would certainly recognize him.

However, he had no intention of lamenting; he thought, "So be it, I'm not afraid of dying anyway."

"Hahaha, you stinking Magecraft, you've caused me a lot of trouble these past few years! So many promising youngsters with Magecraft talent have been taken away by you. The big shots up there are practically begging for your demise!"

Whoosh!

As the employer's voice faded, a bullet was fired from Novia's back; it was from one of the group of children Novia had taken away.

Although she narrowly escaped death, this made Novia understand why.

But it doesn't matter anymore, because these children have nowhere else to go; they've all been sold by their parents. Although I can't personally send them off on the ship this time, as long as I can buy them time, that's enough.

"Tear this guy's flesh apart, shatter his bones; burn him with light, pierce him with fire, freeze him, electrocute him, corrode him, destroy him..."

Yes, everyone, it doesn't matter whether these kids scream or not.