Chapter 36

### Chapter 36: Recollection (7)

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#23

"It was just supposed to be for one day."

"This isn't enough. I still have so many questions."

"So, can I just see a little more?"

"...Yeah, don't die yet."

"It's in the past, anyway."

"...How can humans be so weak?"

"...Well, I like that about them the most. Hehe."

#24

She raced through the dark streets.

Carrying her unconscious senior on her back, she clung tightly to him to prevent any movement, and with a surge of magic, she created a storm-like wind as she sprinted toward the nearest Temple of the Sun.

"Senior, Senior...!"

Tears streamed from her eyes, flying in the opposite direction as she ran. She focused solely on running, but the tears streaming down her cheeks were beyond her control.

I have to save him. I have to save Senior.

He can't die like this.

Senior's injuries are too severe. If he dies here, I will be the one who inflicted the deepest wound on him. Just thinking about that future made her heart burn with a searing pain.

I don't even know what kind of price I have to pay. The only answer is to follow the path Senior took. I still haven't properly apologized or asked for forgiveness... I have to convey those words, no matter what. Whether in this world or the next.

No, negative thoughts are no good.

Senior can be saved. He must be.

I have to believe that to keep going.

How long have I been running since I left the square?

The temple began to come into view in the distance. Miu increased her speed.

The surroundings appeared and quickly disappeared behind her. The sharp wind cut across her cheeks. She had tucked her hair into her scarf to prevent it from interfering with Senior.

The Temple of the Sun, standing alone on a vast expanse, had a statue glowing with a radiant light at its peak. Without stopping, Miu approached the temple's door and raised her hand.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Is anyone there! Is anyone there! Priest! Please..."

Miu sobbed as she shouted. She could feel Senior's breathing, faint and shallow, against her back.

She could clearly feel the life force within him fading, and with her heart pounding, she cried out even more desperately.

"Please, save him! Please, save him! Senior, Senior... Please, is anyone there! Please, save him! Save Senior...!"

Why isn't anyone responding? It's already midnight. The inside of the temple seemed dark, suggesting that most were either asleep or engaged in sacred duties elsewhere.

It doesn't matter.

I have to save Senior. No matter what.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

No response even after pounding on the door for a long time.

No, this can't be.

If this continues, if this continues...

"Aaah... Aaaaaaah...!"

Miu's anxiety grew more intense.

Her cries, torn and shattered, echoed through the sky.

"Someone is dying! Please, save him! He's still alive! If he dies without treatment, you'll be responsible! Please, save him! I'll do anything... Please...! Save Senior...!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!...

As Miu pounded on the door, almost breaking it, she felt her strength waning. Her face, contorted with pain, slowly began to sink to the ground as tears streamed down. Feeling the faint warmth of Senior's weak breath against her back, she cursed the world.

What happened, Senior? Who did this to you...

...I can't forgive it.

I can't forgive anyone who did this to Senior, but I can't forgive myself even more.

This shouldn't have happened. Even if Senior survives, you've created a hole in his heart that will keep you from standing by his side ever again.

I have to atone. I have to offer everything, my body and my soul, to pay for the sin of betraying the person I love... I must.

For that, Senior has to live.

Please, just like you saved me back then, save Senior. No, save him.

I'll beg you. Please.

God...

"Huuu, huuu, huuu... huuuuu..."

—At that moment.

In front of the door where Miu was sobbing.

...Creak.

The temple door, which had not opened despite her pounding, finally began to creak open.

Miu slowly lifted her tear-streaked face.

"Though we serve the Lord, we are also mere mortals. We need to sleep and live, don't we, Sister?"

"...A, ah...?"

The person who appeared in the doorway was a woman with wavy silver short hair.

She wore a long, pure white robe, symbolizing her role as a priestess of the Sun God. Seeing Miu, who was sitting on the ground with a severely injured boy on her back, the woman nodded gently.

"...However, if we do not bless someone who is near death, it would go against the Lord's benevolence. His injuries are severe. Please come in."

#25

Inside the solemn and grand temple.

Without caring about dirtying her robe, the priestess carried Elio carefully and led him somewhere, instructing Miu to wait outside.

"..."

Sitting on the cold wooden chair, Miu.

Held tightly in her hand was the small box that Senior had given her as a birthday gift, and she trembled.

Bowing her head deeply in front of the magnificent statue of the Sun God, she prayed and wished endlessly.

The time waiting for the priestess to come out was truly hellish. Thinking about Senior's life hanging in the balance inside, Miu felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

When the priestess finally emerged, it would be hard to look at her face. If she could read anything from the priestess's expression, Miu would inevitably collapse, depending on the outcome.

She might collapse in overwhelming relief if Senior barely clung to life, or... she didn't even want to imagine the other possibility. At that moment, Miu might summon her magic and harm herself.

Her trembling hands and legs.

The shaking showed no signs of stopping.

Senior will live. He must. The priestess said she couldn't guarantee it, but she would bestow the greatest blessing she could. She even said she would try to request the Lord's help directly.

However, that was something not easily done. It was a type of blessing that ordinary priestesses couldn't even attempt. The woman inside the temple seemed to possess a level of sanctity akin to a high priestess.

This gave Miu a slight sense of relief, but she still couldn't let go of her tension. At some point, while Miu was tightly closing her eyes and trembling all over.

Creak...

A sound echoed in the quiet temple.

Miu reflexively turned her head in that direction.

"Wh-What happened...?"

"..."

The priestess, now in a clean, pure white robe, slowly walked toward Miu, opening the door that had been closed.

At first glance, the priestess's expression was unreadable.

"From what I can see, we need to observe further... but for now, he is barely holding on to life."

"..."

"It's a mystery how he's even breathing. When did your brother fall into this state?"

"I... I don't know exactly. But it hasn't been long. It definitely happened today..."

"I see."

The priestess continued quietly.

"His survival is a miracle. A truly remarkable one."

"..."

To Miu, who was trembling slightly with anxiety.

The priestess replied softly.

"...While the miracle is happening, I will do my best. However, I cannot guarantee a good outcome, so you must be prepared, Sister."

"Ah..."

Miu's heart sank at those words, but the fact that he was still alive brought a sense of relief.

"Thank you, thank you, Priestess..."

"You're welcome. You should go home now. It's late. I will also bestow a private blessing to ensure your safe return, so please wait a moment."

"Thank you, thank you..."

Miu sobbed, repeating the same words over and over.

At the same time, a thought crossed her mind.

The priestess wouldn't do this for free.

"How can I repay you...?"

The priestess shook her head.

"That is something your brother can speak of when he recovers. Most importantly, as Sun priests, we love all humans with compassion and kindness, so it would be inappropriate to expect repayment. You can show your gratitude by praying to the Lord every night wherever you are."

"Ah... Thank you, really, thank you..."

"You're welcome."

The priestess smiled gently at Miu, who was trembling and shedding tears.

#26

Fortunately, Senior's life was saved, but the deep-seated anxiety, guilt, and overwhelming self-blame in Miu's heart showed no signs of fading.

Whenever the anxiety surged, Miu would skip her scheduled classes and spend time in the square, then repeatedly visit the temple.

Hearing that Senior was still unconscious, she would sit in a chair and offer devout prayers in front of the statue of the Sun God, Hyperion. Her focus was solely on the will to save Senior. There was nothing else to concentrate on.

However, there was one thing...

It was the hatred for all the events that led to Senior's condition.

The details of their conversation that day were hazy due to the chaos, but she remembered Senior saying something. Whenever she thought about it, her heart ached, but she had to find out the truth.

Ruby.

A name that now felt cursed.

In the words Senior managed to say with his labored breathing, that name was mentioned.

He was kidnapped.

He tried to save her.

Did he eventually save her?

In the process, did Senior end up in this state?

...Ultimately, it wasn't Ruby's fault. According to Senior, she was also a victim. Miu knew this to some extent.

A rumor circulating secretly within the academy. Ruby, who had returned from a traditional magic club retreat, and a senior from the magic club were reported missing from noon on November 19th until the night.

The details were unknown, but it was a significant event, spreading to the Grand Tower Akasha and the capital of the Helios Empire.

Senior was involved in this incident. Definitely.

...However.

Senior's existence was not known.

Ruby was kidnapped. Senior saved her. Despite the severe condition he was in.

But why was Senior's name not mentioned in the details of the incident?

Why did the senior from the magic club, who was involved in the incident, receive recognition and become a formal mage of the Grand Tower Akasha a few days later?

Was Senior just there, and did he not contribute at all, ending up in a battered state? Was it only the senior from the magic club who saved Ruby?...

The truth behind all this would only be revealed when Senior woke up. So, Miu continued to visit the temple and pray.

About a week later.

Miu, who had skipped her afternoon classes and visited the temple as usual, received one good and one bad piece of news from a priestess who was waiting inside.

"Really, really...?"

The first was...

...Senior regained consciousness.

In other words, he was fully alive.

Upon hearing this, Miu's legs gave out, and she inadvertently sat down. Tears streamed down her face, overwhelmed by relief.

At the same time, she thought this wasn't the time for such emotions, and asked where Senior was, pleading with the priestess to let her see him immediately. The priestess suddenly had an unreadable expression.

This was the second piece of news.

The priestess gently pulled Miu away.

She took something from her pocket and muttered.

"The embodiment of the miracle asked me to give this to you if you came looking for him."

A white envelope with the seal of the Temple of the Sun.

Miu, wondering what it was, silently tore open the envelope and unfolded it.

"..."

As she read each word.

Her eyes slowly welled up with tears.

"..."

"Se...nior..."

She tried to suppress her sobs, but eventually, tears silently fell in front of the priestess, who had been standing quietly.

"To Miu"

The letter, written in Elio's neat handwriting, was filled with gratitude and apologies.

...

Senior had already fully recovered two days ago.

Moreover, he had already submitted his resignation from the Lorson Academy, and at the time of writing the letter, he was about to leave his home. By the time Miu read the letter, his belongings would likely be packed.

He said he was fine and healthy, and she shouldn't worry about his condition anymore. He told her not to worry and that she didn't need to worry about him at all.

So...

The letter was filled with gratitude.

For loving him, despite his flaws, more than anyone else. Thanks to her, he had experienced a time of joy that exceeded his worth.

If she hadn't been by his side, he would have dropped out of the academy long ago.

He never felt any negative emotions toward her.

She was always a source of strength for him, someone who supported him when he was about to fall apart.

Miu, with her beautiful name, was someone he would remember for a long time in his life.

To such a person,

To the person who became his first love,

He felt deeply sorry for making her cry.

The things he mentioned in the letter were things that couldn't be conveyed through words. The genuine feelings he realized and expressed late were already valueless.

So...

He had to apologize to her.

...Unlike him.

She didn't need to blame herself.

Everything was his fault... All his shortcomings, and his failure to keep the promise of making her birthday happy.

He was sorry for not paying attention to the small things and not taking care of her. He was sorry for not reciprocating her love, which was solely focused on him. He said he would accept any words she had for him, as it was only right.

Therefore, she didn't need to blame herself.

Everything was his fault.

As a person, as a man, he was so inadequate... He couldn't properly repay someone who truly loved him, and he continued to apologize endlessly.

He was grateful for the time she spent with him.

He was sorry for the wrongs he did to her.

He had caused her so much pain that he no longer had the right to be by her side. He was so sorry, and the debts he owed her were countless and immeasurable...

He said he was sorry again.

To repay everything...

He was too exhausted now.

So...

This letter, he said, would likely be his last words as Elio Cranil, Miu's lover.

To Miu, who was always grateful and loving.

To Miu, who always looked at him.

And...

—To his beloved lover, Miu.

He was sorry for not being able to stay with her.

It might be a selfish act.

He might not be able