Return of the Fallen Volume 10 Chapter 158
Sam and Kimi came over but the two were quiet and didn’t say anything. Kazuki could already tell what Kimi wanted. Her feelings were mixed and mostly held confusion. Finally, Sam pushed her forward and Kimi gathered the courage to talk.
“You know, what you did here, it’s…nice of you.”
Kazuki leaned forward a bit.
“Excuse me, Kimi, did you just give me a compliment?”
Kimi’s expression soured and she looked back at Sam but Sam just gave her a small thumbs up.
“Don’t let it go to your head. I’m just stating a fact. On this one, you…you did well. There I said it.”
Kimi released a heavy breath as if this was one of the most challenging things she’s ever done. Kazuki found it funny. Kimi and he had an odd relationship. Kazuki didn’t feel any type of way toward her but she seemed to hate him, at least in the beginning. Now she had softened and were on good terms but the two rarely talked with one another. She had blamed him early on for the many misfortunes they all experienced but as the days passed, she was confronted by Sam. She had to recognize the truth. Kazuki was only a small part of it and he was a victim of his sister and mother’s plans.
He did not ask to be betrayed and nearly killed, he didn’t ask to be hunted down like a dog in the street and before things really turned for the worse, Kazuki had warned all of them that they could die and to not come with him on his journey.
With all of these things stacked up, Kimi knew her hatred was too much but for her, it took a long while before she eventually let it go and accepted reality. Now she saw Kazuki in a different light but because she had been on the hate train for so long and her stubbornness, she had trouble expressing her thanks.
“I…”
Once again she looked back at Sam for some encouragement and this time Sam held up a second thumb for support. Kimi rolled her eyes and took a step forward with a heavy stomp.
“Damn it, I’m sorry about before. I blamed you for a long time and I shouldn’t have. I was scared at that time and didn’t know where else to put my anger and sadness so I used you and that was wrong. Can you…Will you forgive me!?”
Kazuki said nothing and let her apology linger in the air for a moment. Just as steam was about to come out of Kimi’s ears, Kazuki finally spoke.
“If I forgive you will, what will you give me?”
Kimi was stunned and lost for a second before Kazuki began to crack up and laugh.
*Pffft hehehaheha*
Kimi realized Kazuki was just teasing her and she ground her teeth before shouting.
“You asshole! I thought you were serious and and…”
*Sigh*
“You got me.”
Kazuki stopped laughing hearing this.
“I let all of that stuff go a while ago. Thank you for apologizing. I know that must have been hard. Hanging on to all of that hatred for so long, it can break us eventually. Having someone to rely on though, someone to love, it makes those burdens easier to let go. Nunully and Asuna, they are my pillars and I’m theirs. You already know all about that though don’t you.”
Kazuki glanced at Sam and Kimi blushed slightly.
“Soon you two will be married so I guess I’ll congratulate you now just in case you two disappear as soon as the ceremony is over. By the way, the rooms are completely soundproof, heh.”
This time Sam gave Kazuki a thumbs up when he said that.
Kimi punched Kazuki in the arm with a playful smile.
“Thanks and the same goes for you, congrats in case I don’t see you afterward.”
Sam and Kimi then took each other’s hands before flying slowly toward the palace.
Kazuki as well headed to the palace and his Uncle Lin caught up with him.
“Son, how are things going, can I help with anything?”
Kazuki shook his head.
“Everything is going smoothly. The Golems are taking care of all of the little details.”
Down below one could see dozens of Golems moving things here and there. Traveling around the island, they made preparations for food and set up tables and other minor tasks. Kazuki made these Golems a little while ago and he was putting them to good use. Because of them, he needed very little attention to run things.
Lin was all smiles right now. Placing a hand on Kazuki’s shoulder he asked.
“How are you feeling, nervous?”
“Me, You do realize I’ve faced death way too many times to count. The odds were stacked against me and I had to basically overturn conventional thinking and fight my ass off to survive.”
“So the answer is yes then?”
Kazuki answered right away.
“Yes, am I that transparent?”
The two immediately broke out in laughter.
“Not transparent rather it’s a natural thing. Even amongst Gods. If the person you are marrying is someone you truly love, there’s no way you wouldn’t be.”
“Gods, Lin you exaggerate too much.”
Kazuki’s brow rose questioningly.
“No no, I’m serious. Composing oneself on the outside is a simple task for a God but under the surface, I guarantee they’re trembling. Even I was nervous when…”
Lin didn’t finish his sentence. He did not wish to mention Sephra, especially on Kazuki’s wedding day. Kazuki knew where his uncle was going and shrugged.
“It’s fine. You can say her name. The second fragment of my soul has already been fixed and now only the third one remains. After the first fragment was repaired, my hatred for Sephra diminished to such an extent that I no longer feel much of anything when it comes to her.”
Lin sighed.
*Hah*
“That was unfair. Nevius shouldn’t have done that without warning you what would happen.”
Kazuki was no longer upset about that.
“No, At first I was angry but now I realize that shit just doesn’t matter. By fixing that fragment, I was allowed a second chance. All of that hatred was only corrupting me and was taking me on a path with no return. Now though, I feel…Free. The shackles of anger no longer hold me down. All of that raw emotion, I’m glad to be rid of it. So speak, I really don’t mind.”
Lin felt as if a weight had been taken off of his shoulders.
(My son is happy. No longer is he obsessed with revenge, no longer will I have to worry about his future. Today is a good day.)
Lin began to tell Kazuki about the day he found out about his marriage to Sephra.
“Back then, she was still my brother’s fiance. At the time I could feel nothing for her but the love between a brother and a sister. As time went on though I thought she had forgotten about my brother and had fallen for me. I too had fallen for her. She would often play her zither in the garden. I don’t know why or what struck me but one day I found her playing alone and I felt her loniliness. It was the same loneliness I had felt all my life growing up. We just locked eyes and that was it. I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“That I was in love.”
Kazuki could barely tell what Lin was feeling. His soul reading ability was more accurate with weaker people but his uncle was a Demigod. Seeing or sensing his soul was incredibly difficult but even without this ability, from the emotion in his voice, Kazuki knew his uncle was feeling a deep bitterness.
“Son, back then, I was in love but when I found out what she had done to you and Kai, I died that day. Much later I found out you were still alive and it was like a rebirth for me. I was still trapped in the Higher Realm so I could only cling to a tiny bit of hope. Hope that you would live on and forget all of the pain. I just wanted you to be happy and now, today my dream has come true. For overcoming all of that, I’m proud of you son.”
Lin said no more and flew ahead.
Kazuki felt incredibly light and his nervousness died down somewhat. His father did not tell him some secret to be rid of his nervous feelings nor did he say they were wrong and he didn’t need to. Just having his support made Kazuki feel as if nothing could stop him.
A big smile spread across his face and he was lost in thought when a gust of wind slapped him in the back of the head. He understood right away where it had come from.
“Disciple stop smiling like that your giving me the creeps.”
Down below, Master Maya was laughing. She was already celebrating early as she drank and walked toward the palace.
“Granny Master.”
Kazuki landed nearby and he wondered what she would say. Master Maya though took a large swig.
“To think you would really be getting married before you finish learning my teachings. After I died I managed to pick up something incredible and yet you decided to get married first.”
“Granny master you can still teach me. Just because I’m getting married doesn’t mean I can’t learn anything. Besides that though, didn’t you accept a body and come back to life for the sole purpose of seeing me get hitched.”
*Whack*
Another gust of wind hit Kazuki.
*Hmph*
“When exactly are you going to have time when you got a youngling on the way. You ain’t going to have any time with rugrats running around.”
Kazuki’s eyes went wide.
“You know about that?”
Master Maya took another swig from her flask.
“I told you I managed to pick up something incredible while I was dead. It’s only natural for me to know this and that and this and that.”
Kazuki was still stunned. He had only mentioned it to Arc and that was communicating through the soul. No one else should know yet his Granny master did. Kazuki was curious but before that bells began to chime and he sped ahead. It would be unwise to be late for one’s own wedding.
Kazuki could imagine how pissed Nunully and Asuna would be had he arrived even a second late.
—————————————————————————-
Standing at the alter, Lin stood at Kazuki’s side and Kimi and Tsura stood beside both Nunully and Asuna. They had decided via paper, rock, scissors on who would get married first. Nunully had won so the three were to be married first.
Looking at the two of them, Kazuki felt the nervous air return but Nunully smiled, and Asuna for some reason her expression was switching from angry to excitement. This was funny to watch and it calmed Kazuki down.
Standing together it was time to take each other’s hands. At this moment Kazuki was euphoric.
(Kazuki, somethings strange.)
Arc called out to Kazuki but could not describe what the strange feeling was.
Kazuki noticed that both Asuna and Nunully stopped looking at him and were now staring at his storage ring. For some reason, it was glowing but he wasn’t activating it.
(What the.)
Kazuki was just about to take a look into his ring when it opened without him. Suddenly a small black object appeared from within his ring. It was recognized immediately.
(The black compass.)
Confusion was spread all around. Kazuki remembered Detra had recovered the black compass and he had stored it a long time ago.
As he was confused Arc tried to say something once more but was interrupted as a familiar voice rang out from within the compass.
(KAZUKI! DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LET YOU OFF! DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LET YOU BE HAPPY AFTER EVERYTHING! DIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!)
A tiny spark flashed for a fraction of a second before an explosion ripped outward at a speed faster than anything Kazuki had ever seen.
*KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
———————————————End of Volume Ten————————————————
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