Chapter 617

"Really going back? Today?"

"Yes."

"There's no need to hurry like this... but there's nothing we can do about it."

There was nothing that could be called luggage for Ellen. When she came here, she only brought a cage with a cat inside.

So when she returned to the Allied Forces' base, she would just go back in her everyday clothes, without anything else to take with her.

"The snow has just stopped now...."

Louise couldn't help feeling bitter when Ellen said she was going back just as the heavy snow that had been falling stopped and the weather cleared up overnight.

She had come back to rest, but ended up getting involved in strange events, and in the end, her heart only became heavier.

The Demon King had taken control of the Holy Order and the Five Great Gods' religion.

And there was nothing they could do about it.

In the midst of a rapid change in the times, there was no such thing as a good group, and they had to choose a group that could survive.

Something drastic was about to begin, and it was sure to bring about countless deaths.

The future of the Empire was clouded, and now everyone had to make a choice.

Now, it would be more peaceful to go back to the Allied Forces' base than to the Imperial Capital, and especially for Ellen.

If you can't choose anything, it's better to go somewhere where you can't see it.

There are only unsolvable problems.

No one knows how these things will end.

If the Empire falls and the Demon King takes its place.

What fate awaits Ellen, who should be the Demon King's opponent?

And what position should Heinrich take there?

No one has the answer.

Everyone is afraid of the future and doing something. Everyone agrees that the Gate incident must end, but the things they are building up in the hope of that are making the future even more fearful.

Is it really right to make the world a hell for the sake of one absolute line?

Then what happens to the world after that absolute line is achieved?

Ellen is more dangerous staying in the Imperial Capital.

That's why she's leaving the Imperial Capital.

But she had been thinking about it from the beginning.

"Take care of the cat when I'm gone."

"...Okay."

But the cat suddenly stopped showing up at some point, and Ellen was waiting for the cat, even if it was just for a moment, to touch it and leave.

But in the end, the cat didn't show up, and Ellen left it to Heinrich and left.

She might have disappeared altogether, Ellen had a feeling like a premonition.

She had always felt that way about someone, even when they were together.

She didn't know why, but she thought she couldn't help it if she suddenly disappeared.

She just wanted to pass by and spend time together for a while, and hoped that they would pass by each other like this someday.

It's a shame they couldn't say goodbye.

In the end.

Ellen couldn't be too concerned about something so small.

"I'm leaving." Ellen quietly left the temple dormitory with Louise and Heinrich seeing her off. Louise felt they should also return to their base. The Empire was now the most dangerous place, with the Demon King controlling the Holy Order and the Five Great Gods' religion. Ellen had a feeling she might disappear altogether and just wanted to spend time together for a while. The future was uncertain, and everyone was afraid of what might happen. Ellen knew she would stand with the Empire, even if it meant inevitable war. She didn't want to know anything else and just wanted to avoid the fate of being swallowed up by something. "Now, we can run away even if someone tells us to fight, but someday we won't be able to. Whether we like it or not, we are destined to become enemies. Ellen feels the division and war brewing in the Empire and returns to the Allied Forces' base to avoid it. There is only one good thing there, the absolute good of ending the Gate incident. As Ellen walks down the snowy street, she reaches the entrance of the temple. There is still no one around, but there is a small animal, a black cat sitting on a nearby bench. The cat looks at Ellen as she approaches. Ellen approaches the cat, feeling like it's a strange animal that disappears somewhere and suddenly reappears. When she gives up and tries to leave, it waits for her at the entrance as if it knew she was coming. They can't communicate, but Ellen always feels like they can. It's like the cat understands her sadness, pain, and suffering. Maybe it's just a delusion, but it doesn't feel like it. Even now, it feels like the cat is waiting for her at the temple entrance. Ellen says goodbye to the cat and wonders if she'll ever come back. She knows the Allied Forces' base is dangerous, but so is the Empire and the temple. Small beings are always swept away, just like people were swept away in the Gate incident. But maybe the smallest beings can survive because they're too small to be affected by the wind or waves. Ellen looks at the small black cat and remembers the moments when she found comfort in small beings. She kisses the cat's nose and tells it to take care and come back soon before heading towards the temple gate, looking up at the sky." Translation: It is a warm day that comes early, as if saying that the winter, which was so cold that it was numb, will now end. But there is too much snow. Even if a warm day comes for a day, can all this snow melt? It came so much. In some secluded place where the sun does not shine, there will still be full of piled snow. Who melts the snow in the sunless place of the secluded area? Ellen holds the talisman quietly. A talisman that embodies the moon and the sun. Holding it in her hand, she rolls it carefully. She is tired. Tired and exhausted. Isn't it okay to let it go now? If fate forces her to fight anyway. Even if everything ends like this, isn't it okay? If the evil and hatred of this world ultimately create a situation where they have to fight. What is the point of trying to endure? No matter what you do, no matter what you do, you will eventually be forced to fight. The moment she thinks she wants to give up now. The moment when the gap in the weakened heart widened. Ellen's eyes sank deep. No, have they already reached the limit a long time ago? As if crossing the limit of the limit, as if reaching the threshold of the given time. The hourglass of the self is locked under the rising surface. -Tuck. The strap of the talisman, which was made so easily with a leather strap, broke off lightly when pulled. As if asking when it was hanging so preciously until now. As if announcing the beginning of something that is now liberated. After throwing away the talisman she had been wearing until now like garbage, Ellen started walking somewhere. As if becoming something completely different from before. As if becoming a presence unrelated to all the past, Ellen left without looking back. -.... The black cat carefully bit the round talisman that fell to the ground and disappeared into an alley.