Chapter 67: Those Who Can Never Be Forgiven (18)

I recalled the time when Sera and I shared a tent.

In the morning, Sera showed no particular reaction to being with me.

However, when it came to choosing a place to sleep, she couldn’t hide her unease.

I had a general idea of why.

Sera had been abused since she was young.

The wounds in her heart from shutting herself away at home must have been deep.

What would a life without knowing the outside world feel like?

Even if I stayed inside for just a week without speaking to anyone, I would feel stifled.

Sera’s life must have been filled with suffering and despair beyond anything I could comprehend.

She once mentioned that the old priests had advised her not to speak too much.

Sera was summoned to this world seven years ago.

Now, she always appears cheerful in front of others.

But that’s just an act to hide her wounded self.

When she was first chosen as the Saintess, she probably couldn’t even speak properly with others.

Thinking about it that way, I could understand why the priests had been so cautious.

I turned my head to look at Sera.

Following Mateis’s request, we were sharing a room.

I had wanted Sera to stay with Laura or Natalia, but there was no way around it this time.

She stood by the window, staring outside.

I wondered what she was thinking about.

She often said she missed Maleus.

For Sera, who had suffered abuse, this world was her home.

And Maleus, the Grand Inquisitor, might be her only family.

But Maleus was the one in charge of the Inquisition.

Now that the Demon King was sealed within Sera’s body, I was terrified of what would happen if the two of them met.

I recalled the way she trembled when she spoke of purity.

How she once locked herself away in a small room.

How she was thrown into this world without understanding why.

Her life was so tragic that it wouldn’t even fit into a movie.

And now, she couldn’t even meet the one person she could call family.

On top of that, my eyes carried the Enchantment Gaze that could corrupt others.

I could control it now, but I couldn’t deny the sinister nature of this power.

And I had lived a rather promiscuous life.

Like it or not, I had to take responsibility for Laura and Natalia.

What father would ever accept a man like me, claiming to love his daughter?

The future felt increasingly uncertain.

“…Is something wrong?”

“No, I just feel uneasy…”

Sera closed the window and looked around the room.

Even though I was the Hero, I was still a man.

She must have felt uncomfortable being alone with me.

I tried to reassure her, but she trailed off without finishing her sentence.

Sera didn’t like talking about her past.

If she had been abused, it would be uncomfortable for both of us.

Seeing her sit on the bed in silence, I felt both guilty and grateful.

“It’ll be okay.”

“You… Do you even understand the situation we’re in?”

That was all I could say.

Sera was always intelligent and thoughtful of others.

Of course, she would be worried about this situation.

It hadn’t been long since two mysterious figures killed the Unyielding Boulder.

Sera trembled slightly, placing both hands over her stomach.

What thoughts were running through her mind to make her so afraid?

I told her to stay calm, promising that no matter what, I would protect her.

“…More than that, I’m scared people will think I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant…?”

Her words were completely unexpected.

What did she mean by that?

“This isn’t the first time we’ve shared a room, right?

Wouldn’t people naturally assume…?”

“…Do you really not know?”

For a moment, I felt dizzy.

Had Sera never received proper education on this?

No, it made sense.

She was abused when she was still young.

She might not have even realized that what was happening to her was a form of violence.

Like something out of a fairy tale, she probably believed that men and women sharing a room automatically led to a baby.

I recalled our journey to the Elven sanctuary.

Kaellia had spoken about human customs.

“Humans say that when a man and a woman sleep in the same room, a stork delivers a baby, right?”

At the time, Sera had ignored Kaellia’s words.

But now that I thought about it, Sera wasn’t the type to ignore people.

“Then? Right now, we’re basically set up for the Baby Ending!”

“Baby… Ending?”

Her wording was odd.

But given her lack of education, her past of being confined, and the fact that she was summoned here at a young age, it was understandable.

Sera’s words had seemed strange to me many times before.

Honestly, it was a miracle that she had grown this much at all.

“…Something feels wrong.

We shouldn’t even be here at this point in time…

Doesn’t it seem like everything’s mixed up?”

“Sera…?”

I had made a mistake.

Sera must be hearing divine prophecies.

And if she was losing her memory on top of that, it was no surprise that her thoughts were all over the place.

I couldn’t begin to imagine what was happening inside her mind.

Even now, the demonic energy was gradually corrupting her body.

We had to reclaim the Holy Sword as soon as possible.

“Hey, what are you—!”

“It’s okay.”

She had lived a wretched life.

Yet, despite her suffering, she always stood up again, smiling for others.

She brought salvation to everyone but could never receive it herself.

That broke my heart.

Before I realized it, I reached out to hold her.

She immediately flinched and struggled.

I knew I was being selfish.

But I wanted her to see that the world was bigger than she thought.

That we could move toward our own happy ending.

“…Even if I have to use these eyes, I will protect you.”

“…What?”

I wanted to protect Sera, but I was too weak.

The only option I had was the Enchantment Gaze.

If I used it, I could ensure her safety.

Of course, I would be committing an unforgivable sin.

I might even become addicted to the power and never escape it.

But if it meant keeping Sera safe, I was willing to use any means necessary.

Just as I made up my mind, a sharp pain spread across my cheek.

Smack!

Sera’s furious gaze met mine.

Without hesitation, she shouted.

“You… You idiot!!

Didn’t I tell you not to think like that?

Never use the Enchantment Gaze!

If you do, I swear, I’ll throw you into a Bad Ending!!”

I had never seen Sera this angry before.

Not once.

She was truly furious.

What was I thinking?

Sera wanted us to create our own happy ending together.

Yet, here I was, selfishly trying to let go of her hand again.

I couldn’t cross that line.

I had to build our happy ending without relying on something so twisted.

That was my duty.

I was grateful—so incredibly grateful—to Sera, who had always saved me.

Translator’s Note:

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