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Chapter 39 Part 2

And there she goes again, throwing another one of the world’s most famous stories to the dumpster like it was nothing.

 

「I’ve always thought that kind of Legend might have actually happened since no one has ever doubted the truth… but those were all wrong!」

 

Sybilla undone her crossed arms and pointed her finger at me.

 

「You’ve proven that the miracles told in 『The Goddess’ Prayer Chapter』  before was just one of the Saintess’ abilities! In other words, every single miracle told in the Legend of the Saintess stories is not a miracle at all, but the ability of the【Saintess】 Job.」

 

After she said that much, I finally understood where Sybilla was going with this.

If, the miracles in the Legend of the Saintess aren’t miracles. If, like the Saintess’ ability in the 『Goddess’ Prayer』, is an ability that I can use as well, then……!

 

「That’s right! Just like Emmy-chan used the skill she got from the sun blessing, you as well… who continues to be the 『Black Kite Saint』 after becoming the 【Twilight Sorcerer】 should be able to use it!」

 

Then, Sybilla taught me the name of the skill.

 

「The magic used at the end of “The Love of The Saintess”, that is——Resurrection! Russell, if you really care about Emmy-chan… if you truly think of her as someone precious to you and sympathize with the scars in her heart that have been broken to pieces and trampled for so long, you should be able to use it!」

 

Sybilla’s words seeped deep into my heart.

 

……I, see.

I really have always been thinking about myself all this time, huh.

 

I’ve always thought that her pain was nothing comparable to mine.

But it wasn’t like that at all.

Just like the previous 【Twilight Sorcerer】 who was bent on taking revenge, Emmy experienced despair to the point of throwing everything away and entering the world of darkness.

 

I have Sybilla with me.

For Emmy… Jannet should be there with her, but was relying on her alone not enough? Or maybe Vince, or maybe someone else… in a dream I’ve forgotten… No, let’s not think about that now.

Right now, I should focus on Emmy.

 

I look at the face of my childhood friend in my arms.

……After seeing me up close, she unconsciously activated that skill, is it?

So, that means, it was… that kind of thing, right?

 

I realized it just now and I know it was a bit too late, but… really, I can’t believe how dense I am when it comes to this stuff.

 

Probably, the me from that time was… surely… with Emmy…

 

『If it’s you, Emmy-chan, I… I think, you can be a princess…』

 

But the truth is, I didn’t want her to be a princess.

Because becoming a princess means that she will go somewhere far away.

And because I’m not a prince, I would no longer be able to stand next to Emmy.

 

——This was the reason.

 

……I see……

Long ago… I too…

 

「《Resurection》」

(《Resurection》)

 

Those words came out of my mouth naturally.

It might have been partly because Sybilla taught me about it earlier, but still, the name of the magic came out of my mouth so naturally as if I had just spoken out loud a word I’d never known.

It’s partly because Sybilla taught me, but it also feels like the words suddenly emerged and the name of the magic came out of my mouth naturally as if I’ve known about it for a long time.

If so then, did the Goddess… send me this magic?

Is she trying to apologize? Well, I don’t hate her that much anymore.

 

Ahh… Sybilla, maybe there is such a thing as a miracle after all.

 

「N… Nn…」

 

A small voice coming from my arms.

It’s a nostalgic voice.

 

I bring my face close to Emmy’s.

Emmy slowly opened her eyes.

 

「I’ve come to wake you up, you sleepy head.」

 

Upon hearing my voice, Emmy’s eyes widened and she reflexively pulled away from me.

I thought I was holding her quite tightly, but when she suddenly freed herself away from me, the force swung my arms open and it felt like my arms were pulled away from my shoulders. As I thought, Holy Knights sure have ridiculously high physical abilities.

 

「Morning.」

 

「……Ah… A…」

 

「Did you even forget how to say hello in the morning? Ah, no, I guess it’s not morning anymore, huh.」

 

As I made a lighthearted comment, Emmy checked her body as it looked like she was gradually coming to understand the situation.

 

「I’ve healed you up with my healing magic. I’ve also fixed your clothes and armor with it.」

 

「……」

 

Since a while ago, she hasn’t uttered a sound, maybe because she doesn’t know what to say to me.

 

「Do you… no longer want to talk to me, Emmy?」

 

「No, it’s not like that!」

 

This time she instantly answered back with a loud voice to deny it.

 

「Ah…」

 

「I see, I’m glad to hear that.」

 

Emmy approaches me with a timid look on her face.

She has a beautiful face, but… in the short time I’ve been away from her, I get the feeling that she has grown more than her age made her seem to be, or like she has a much more mature side to her now.

…….Just how much has she been pushed into a corner to change so much?

 

「Ru, Russell…」

 

「Do I look like someone other else to you? Well, lately I’ve been getting a lot of comments that my impression has changed somewhat, but… I personally don’t really get it.」

 

「Ahh, Russell… It’s really Russell…」

 

Emmy finally responded as she reached and touched my body. Or so I said, but not really, since I was wearing armor under my robe.

 

「Hey, I… I’ve done a really terrible thing, didn’t I? Making you stay at the rear… which resulted in your level remaining low… and back then too, even though I had no intention to fight back, my skill that could have really killed you activated, and you ended up——」

 

「It doesn’t bother me.」

 

「——Eh?」

 

「I said it doesn’t bother me anymore. I should have gone to raise my level by myself even if you’d hate me for it and properly do my job as a member of the party. I should have taken your feelings into consideration… and I should have noticed it earlier. I was wrong about everything. I think I’m even worse myself than you think I am.」

 

Emmy just listened to my monologue with a somewhat stunned look on her face.

 

「Right now, you see, I’m working with a Mage senior adventurer. And from working together with her, I’ve come to realize that only relying on the others without helping each other out isn’t what a good party… or partner is.」

 

When she heard that, she looked at Sybilla for a moment and looked back at me.

Before she thinks about anything weird, I need to make things clear and make sure Emmy doesn’t misunderstand.

 

I put both of my hands on Emmy’s cheeks.

 

「Emmy.」

 

「Hawawa— Y-Yesh!?」

 

When I said her name, Emmy turned bright red, just like she did some time ago.

…No, actually I strangely felt hot too. I thought it wasn’t supposed to be hot today…

 

「But still, she and I are both mages, you see. So when something like earlier happened, our imbalanced party would quickly fall into danger. That’s why, Emmy, would you please join my party as well?」

 

Emmy blinks slowly as if trying to process the meaning of what I just said, before squeezing out an answer.

 

「……I-Is that really alright? Is it really okay for me to… fight alongside Russell again?」

 

「It’s also my wish to fight alongside you again. I think you and I would work together better as partners. We’re familiar with each other in combat and I can use offensive magic and swords alongside my healing magic now. It’s just that I’m still lacking when it comes to defense. Seriously, it was honestly a close call earlier and we would’ve been done for if you hadn’t come. I can say with certainty that your defensive ability would be the best to cover what we lacked as a party.」

 

I firmly told her my thoughts, but it seemed like Emmy was still in disbelief.

 

「Hey, Emmy…」

 

I extended my arms toward her.

 

「What do you think we start fresh as a childhood friend?」

 

「Starting fresh… as a childhood friend?」

 

「Yep.」

 

Childhood friends.

That’s where my relationship with Emmy started.

 

Since then, I’ve been involved in a lot of things and even accomplished a mission of my own… it feels like I’ve come a long way within a short period of time.

But looking back, it’s only now that I realize that those days when all we did was innocently playing and having fun were the most precious time of my life.

The answer was always within me.

 

Not just as fellow party members.

Not just as a partner.

 

「You know… becoming the rising star of the church and bearing the responsibility as the Hero Party that will save the world… don’t you find all of those tiring? That’s why, a childhood friend.」

 

Emmy is staring at my right hand absentmindedly.

 

……Then she took it with tears running down her eyes.

 

「M-Me too… I, I want to… once again, with Russell… as a childhood friend…!」

 

She had the same crying face as she had back then when she was just a tomboy girl who wanted to be a princess.

A crying face with tears and snot running down her nose that she wouldn’t let anyone see.

A crumpled and wrinkled face from all the crying.

 

But to me… this Emmy looked the most beautiful.