Chapter 43

---

Everyone lives with vague anxieties.

Though the degree may vary, humans are not so carefree as to simply revel in happiness.

Rather, the happier one becomes, the more one must battle the fear of losing it.

Even if one regrets ever having obtained it, it is too late by then.

Claudia, sitting beside her, embraced Eterna's head against her chest.

Compared to those days, she had aged and grown thin, but deep down, nothing had changed.

Her heart found peace, her mind felt as if it were melting.

Abandoning her thoughts, she felt as if she could sink into the depths.

As she indulged in this, Kinder said with a smile, "Eterna will always be a child, won't she?"

Her childhood had no clear end.

One day, she was suddenly thrown into the outside world and forced to live on her own.

That was why she so easily regressed.

At her age, she felt no shame in being pampered by her parents and easily reverted to her childhood self.

The guilt of meeting in secret without telling Flamm and the others was overshadowed by the joy of reuniting.

This was a room in a hotel in the capital.

In this room, which the church had rented, Eterna and Kinder, along with Claudia, were reclaiming lost family time.

But today was different.

Three people sat across from them: a man and a woman in white coats, and the woman held a little girl about a year old.

"People say that one becomes stronger by overcoming the death of a loved one. But if they don't have to die, there's nothing better. That's what I think."

He said this.

A thin, silver-framed glasses-wearing man in his early thirties with short hair—Dafiz Sharmas, the leader of the necromancy research team.

While drowning in the warmth of her mother's chest, Eterna listened to his words absentmindedly.

"Please look at her."

Dafiz introduced the woman sitting next to him to Eterna.

"Suzie is my childhood friend, and though it's a bit embarrassing... we had pledged to marry each other since we were young."

"Do you have to start from there?"

Suzie, blushing, interjected.

Her tone was masculine, and she was physically larger than Dafiz.

"Well, just to be safe."

He seemed embarrassed but couldn't suppress his desire to gush, scratching his head as he continued.

"That didn't change even as we grew up. We were certain of a bright future, and we promised that once we became professionals in our respective fields, we would—. But just before our wedding, the incident happened."

Dafiz's smile disappeared.

The memory of that time was etched into his brain, as vivid as ever.

"Suzie was an A-rank adventurer. Another adventurer, jealous of her, set a trap, assaulted her, and killed her. When her body was returned to the town, it was in a terrible state... I collapsed on the spot, clung to the corpse, and cried for three days and three nights."

Even as the body began to decay and the stench filled the air, he refused to let go.

The smell, which he thought came from Suzie's body, made him feel even more attached, so sick was he at the time.

"From then on, I lived a life as if I had died along with Suzie's body, in the depths of despair. What gave me hope was the Origin religion. Having lost something to cling to, I gradually became immersed in the religion, and before I knew it, I was involved in the research of the Origin Core."

Originally, he had studied hard to keep up with Suzie, who was blossoming as an adventurer.

His efforts paid off after her death.

"As I continued my research, I realized that with this power, it might be possible to resurrect the dead. I wrote a paper and submitted it to the cardinal, and to my surprise, it was adopted as one of the major projects that would support the future of the church, alongside the Children and the Chimera. That's how our team, Necromancy, was born."

The team had faced many hardships from its inception to the present, but they had finally reached a point just short of their goal after more than ten years of research.

"Our aim is the complete resurrection of the dead. Not to transform them into abominations under the influence of Origin, but to restore their human personalities and lives. It's a strange thing for someone immersed in the Origin religion to say, but the whims of God or the church really didn't matter to me. I simply wanted to resurrect Suzie."

For that, it was necessary not only to resurrect the dead but also to devise a way to regenerate decayed flesh.

This research was purely personal.

His obsession with Suzie's resurrection had taken longer than necessary, and he felt guilty towards the researchers, but when he saw Suzie, who was sitting next to him, and the smiles of their two daughters, Ruko, on her lap, he felt from the bottom of his heart that it had been worth it.

"Your resurrection, Claudia and Kinder, was necessary for the completion of our research. If the personality is taken over by Origin after resurrection, it would be meaningless. To suppress this, we needed the knowledge of the two of you, who had been involved in human experiments. Therefore, I want to make it clear that there was no intention to belittle the heroes who had defected."

"Then why did you resurrect Gadio's wife as well?"

Eterna asked in a dazed tone.

She had no personal connection with Tia, but she had already heard from Dafiz that he had resurrected her.

If there was no intention to manipulate Gadio, why had he implanted the Origin Core in Tia?

"Originally, Tia's body was stored in the Chimera research institute. After her murder, Echidna had recovered it. As an S-rank adventurer, they probably intended to use her as material someday. But one day, I happened to learn about Gadio's past. When I heard it, I couldn't help but feel it wasn't just someone else's story."

Dafiz was a very strange man.

He appeared before Eterna without hiding the fact that he was from the church and involved in necromancy.

His status was ordinary, he showed no signs of having absorbed an Origin Core, and physically, he was just a regular person.

Moreover, he answered almost all of her questions.

He didn't seem to be lying.

No, rather, he looked so timid and kind that it was hard to believe he was involved in human experiments in the church.

And the sight of him playing with his wife and children was that of a father who had built a happy family.

That was why Eterna couldn't feel any hostility towards him.

"I know the pain of losing a wife."

Dafiz's expression darkened as he recalled the loss.

Suzie silently took his hand.

Seeing this, Ruko reached out as if to say, "Include me too."

"This is just a proposal. Even if Eterna doesn't want it, I promise to set Kinder and Claudia free when the influence of Origin is completely severed."

"Why? There's no benefit in doing so."

To Eterna's words,

"If my research can make someone happy, I don't need anything more."

Dafiz said with a smile.

---

Eterna left the hotel and walked home on foot.

The sun was setting, and the sky was turning indigo.

Today, Ink was going to make a more elaborate meal to celebrate being able to leave her room for the first time.

Yet, she felt self-loathing for walking around such a place without helping.

"No matter how much I act like a grown-up, I'm not really one."

No matter how much she talked big or acted mature, it was meaningless if her insides didn't match.

Right now, Eterna was betraying Flamm and the others by indulging in her own desires.

But... she couldn't stop, no matter what.

Before setting out on the journey to defeat the Demon King, Eterna had searched for Kinder and Claudia.

The place she found was a tombstone with only their names inscribed.

She collapsed and cried.

Ah, I can't see them again—this realization overwhelmed her, and the grief she had left behind fifty years ago suddenly enveloped her.

She had always wanted to see them.

To hug them, talk to them, and spend even a little time with them.

It was a dream that had slipped away for her.

For the sake of a common sense of justice, she couldn't abandon her dream.

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of her house.

Eterna stopped and muttered softly.

"Sorry, everyone."

Was this an apology for the betrayal she was currently committing, or for something in the future?

Opening the front door and announcing, "I'm home," the first to greet her was Ink.

The moment she heard Eterna's voice, she stood up and greeted her with an innocent smile.

Her heart ached.

It was a pain that felt like being crushed and dying.

"Dinner is ready, so let's eat quickly. I'm really hungry."

Four days had passed since Eterna had started leaving the house silently.

Ink never asked.

Flamm and Milkitt also stopped prying after the first day.

They all trusted Eterna.

It made her feel sick—no, she wanted to vomit blood and suffer.

But no matter how much she blamed herself in her head, it wouldn't absolve her.

If she felt even a little guilty, she should talk, she should reveal it.

"It smells good, and I'm getting hungry too."

But she said nothing.

Entering the house, she passed by Ink and entered the living room where Flamm and Milkitt were waiting.

"Hey, Eterna."

As she passed by, Ink called out to her.

Eterna stopped and turned around.

"What is it?"

"Ah, no... nothing."

She brushed it off.

Even if they didn't ask and trusted her, they weren't oblivious.

Especially with her enhanced hearing due to the loss of her sight, she must have noticed the emotional fluctuations in Eterna's voice.

She was deliberately looking the other way, pretending not to notice.

A kind gesture.

Eterna trampled on it again today.

Of course, she couldn't taste the meal that Milkitt had prepared with such effort.

---

The next morning, Eterna disappeared without a word to anyone.

The only thing left behind was a note on the table, found by Milkitt, who was the first to wake up.

"I'll be back in a few days."

Such a brief note was not enough to satisfy Flamm.

She rushed out of the house and headed for Gadio's mansion.

If anyone knew something, it would be him, as they had traveled together.

But Gadio was also gone, and the only thing left was a slightly more detailed letter.

"She's gone to her supposedly dead wife."

Hearing Keraina's response, Flamm was momentarily startled.

The way she said it made it sound like death.

But she continued, laughing weakly.

"I don't know the details. But Tia, who was supposed to be dead, came back to life and suddenly visited. Gadio is apparently at the facility where Tia is staying, but I don't know where it is."

"Resurrecting the dead... Could it be—"

"Do you have any leads? But maybe it's better to leave them alone."

"Why do you think so?"

"It was definitely Tia. Gadio and I, who had spent so much time with her, can vouch for it. He has been thinking about Tia and blaming himself for six years. It's finally paid off, and it's not for outsiders to interfere."

Gadio must have realized that Tia's resurrection was related to the church and Origin.

Eterna must have known too, but she didn't tell her close friends.

Was this—out of guilt?

"I think differently. If they could be openly happy, they would. Both of them must be harboring some guilt or anxiety, which is why they're trying to cover it up with letters."

"Even if that's true, there's nothing I can do. I can't take Tia away from Gadio. I've seen how close they are up close."

Keraina seemed to have no confidence or intention.

Flamm had no intention of involving her, who was now a civilian.

After a brief farewell, Flamm left Gadio's mansion and walked through the eastern district.

If Gadio and Eterna had walked around early in the morning, they would have stood out.

Perhaps she should gather information through inquiries—

"Eterna and Gadio disappeared on their own. If we assume the cause is the same, maybe Eterna also had a close person who came back to life. That's why she started leaving without telling us..."

—No, before that, the old couple's conversation that Ink heard was concerning.

Eterna's behavior had changed after that incident, so those two must have been people close to her, resurrected by the church.

First, she needed to identify who those people were.

Flamm returned home and decided to talk to Ink first.

In the living room, Ink and Milkitt were sitting on chairs, looking worried and silent.

Their expressions brightened when they heard Flamm's footsteps and saw her.

"Welcome back, Master."

"Welcome back, how was it?"

Seeing Milkitt and Ink's faces, Flamm's heart felt lighter.

But the situation had worsened, and there was no time to relax.

"Gadio is also gone."

"Wh-What! Disappearing at the same time as Eterna...?"

"Of course, I intend to look for them. Hey, Ink, have you ever heard Eterna talk about old friends or family?"

"Why?"

Ink tilted her head, and her black ponytail swayed.

There was no need to hide it from her, who had been one of the Spiral children.

"It seems the church's necromancy is involved in this. Their research can resurrect the dead."

"So, Eterna went after someone who came back to life and disappeared?"

"The possibility is high. Gadio's wife also suddenly appeared, so it seems."

And Satyrus was also likely resurrected by the church for some purpose.

Ink, wearing a loose shirt, swung her feet, which didn't touch the floor.

"Eterna used to live in this house many decades ago."

"Many...? Ah, how old is Eterna, anyway?"

"Her age has always been a mystery, so it's best not to worry about it. Still, Eterna living here... So, she wasn't just breaking in for no reason."

"Breaking in is still breaking in, I think."

"Anyway, Eterna, who had been subjected to human experiments like me, was raised by a couple who were like parents to her."

Learning that Eterna had been a test subject for human experiments, the two were understandably surprised.

Flamm speculated that her ageless body might be a result of this, and perhaps her vast amount of magic power, which was unusual for a human, might also be due to the experiments.

"Before setting out on the journey with Flamm and the others to defeat the Demon King, she said she visited a grave in a village near the capital. It was someone very important to her, someone she dreamed about. If they really came back to life, she might have followed them."

Ink said this with a lack of interest, but her expression showed a hint of sadness.

Since coming to this house, she had spent most of her time with Eterna.

She must have opened up to her to some extent.

It wasn't adult behavior to leave without a word.

"By the way, Reach said he met the previous owner of this house a while ago..."

"Was that Eterna's supposedly dead parents?"

"Given the timing, I think the possibility is high. Thanks for the information, Ink. I'll go to Reach's place and talk to him. Milkitt and Ink, since there's no one to protect you, make sure to lock the doors and don't leave the house."

When Flamm gave this warning, the two nodded obediently.

Satisfied, she smiled and left the house, heading back to the eastern district—

---

If she walked straight down the street, she would reach the eastern district, but using a shortcut known only to locals would save time.

She usually avoided this route because of the poor security, but Flamm, who was in a hurry, was using it for the first time.

It was a quiet, shadowy path that didn't get much sunlight, even in the morning.

Flamm, walking down this path, suddenly stopped.

She then turned around, drew her Soul Eater, and swung it at the empty air.

Pong!

Her action, which seemed meaningless at first, was actually precise. The black blade was now pressed against the neck of a blue-haired boy who had suddenly appeared.

"Ah ha! Your reaction is much better than the first time I saw you!"

Nekt, distorting his face covered in fleshy spirals, disappeared.

A chill ran down Flamm's spine.

But Nekt's cold palm was already pressed against her neck.

"Let's connect!"

"Counter!"

Bazii!

The counter magic she activated instantly repelled Nekt's "Connection."

Blown away, he looked at his bleeding right hand and smiled, returning to his human face.

Flamm glared at him, pressing the tip of her sword to his neck.

"I see, that's why it's a problem. At first, most people thought you weren't a threat. But now it's different. Like the heroes, they fear reincarnation, so—"

"Cut the chatter and tell me what you want."

"Aren't you going to kill me?"

"I don't think I can."

Flamm couldn't overwhelm a boy whom even Gadio couldn't kill.

Nekt's relaxed expression was not an act.

He had clearly