The current 『Sword Saint』 had not even the slightest of affect on himself for slashing the previous 『Sword Saint』 to her death. The truth is, his opponent didn't either.
As if trying to shove that truth onto him, Heinkel's throat faintly shuddered.
Heinkel: "Don't make a scene out of this, Reinhardt... ~hk."
Becoming further desperate, trying to deceive away the wavering of his own heart, Heinkel pointed his finger at Reinhardt, and spat out.
Heinkel: "No matter how nice and fine you may try to make things, what I saw won't change. It's a fact that you killed mother... Thearesia van Astrea. I'll proclaim it. I'll spread this rumour everywhere, so that nobody recognises you as the 『Sword Saint』 anymore!"
"ーーーー"
Heinkel: "No matter how calm of a face you may make, there's no way you'll let go of your prestige as 『Sword Saint』. You may have had continued having it till now, but not anymore. The one slashing his own blood relatives to their deaths is the 『Sword Saint』? The sword of the kingdom? Hah, don't make me laugh! You murderer!"
Reinhardt: "Deputy Commander, no matter how many times you say it, I do not understand what you intend to mean. ーーIt is Deputy Commander's misunderstanding that I slashed the previous generation to death."
Heinkel: "Hu~h...?"
Reinhardt quietly gave his answer to Heinkel, whose face was reddening. Heinkel rounded his eyes at his response, but Reinhardt did not seem to have any intention of tricking him or beating around the bush.
Reinhardt was not giving his opinion, but as if merely stating facts.
Reinhardt: "The enemy just now was merely a corpse being made to move through the use of some secret arts. It could not have had been the previous generation 『Sword Saint』... grandmother. Is there still perhaps some misunderstanding?"
"ーーーー"
Heinkel made a stupefied expression at Reinhardt's words.
After that, he put his hands in his red hair, and rubbed them violently. With faint laughter, Heinkel, and an abnormal smile,
Heinkel: "Then, what was that in the end? When she was, talking to father!? When she was glaring so hatefully at you and me... what was it, if it wasn't mother!"
Wilhelm: "ーーEnough, now stop, Heinkel."
Gnashing his own teeth, with burning hot hatred was Heinkel. The one to extinguish Heinkel's heat was Wilhelm?, who had been silent till now.
The aged swordsman, while maintaining his crouched posture, tore apart the sleeve of his jacket, and treated the wound on his right shoulderーー which had been inflicted by a certain longsword.
The ability of the 『Divine Protection of Death God』, due to which the wound was not supposed to close, lost its effect the moment Thearesia ceased to exist. ーーNo, before even that, ever since Thearesia had returned to sanity in the end, it had been lost.
Instead of that, what remained was the pain on his left shoulder due to the wound carved onto it at the time of their final farewell.
The sane Thearesia lasted on his left shoulder, and the demised Thearesia on his right leg.
The wounds carved with the ability of the 『Divine Protection of Death God』 had been nullified with the loss of both.
Heinkel: "Stop, you say... father! Are you really fine with this! He is...!"
Wilhelm: "Stop, Heinkel…..Stop."
Wilhelm objected Heinkel, and stopped him from saying anything further.
He took off his sleeveless jacket and used the cloth for wrapping and containing Thearesia's ashes. Leaving her in the cold wind like this, would leave her far too lonely.
He believed that he must bury her ashes in the appropriate grave, at the very least.
Heinkel: "ーー~hk."
Seeing the state of his father, Heinkel gnashed his teeth and swallowed his words. And, retrieving the ashes, Wilhelm shakily stood up.
Even if his bleeding had ceased, his body had lost quite a lot of blood. The wound on his right foot was deep, so walking without any support stemmed into uneasiness. Retroactively, Reinhardt tried to support his trembling shoulders.
However,
Wilhelm: "ーーStay away!!"
"ーーーー"
His fingers, which were reaching for him, were subjected to Wilhelm's rage.
Reinhardt halted his raised arm, and no longer tried to support his shoulders and face him. But, the Sword Demon, without facing him, quietly inhaled.
Wilhelm: "Reinhardt..."
Reinhardt: "ーーYes."
Unlike Wilhelm's quivering voice, Reinhardt's? voice was stable and dignified.
Hearing his voice, their eyes met, and Wilhelm said the words in his mouth.
ーーIt was, a question.
Wilhelm: "Do you regret, that you slashed your grandmother... Thearesia to her death?"
"ーーーー"
A slight gap occurred between the question and its response.
Or perhaps, he may have had dismissed the question? as meaningless, similar to Heinkel's earlier questions.
However, before long, Reinhardt responded.
Reinhardt: "No. ーーI did the correct thing. I hold no regrets."
Wilhelm: "...Is that, so. That's right."
"ーーーー"
Wilhelm: "You are right. I am mistaken. ーーThat is why, there is nothing left to talk to you about anymore."
Pronouncing with a quiet voice, Wilhelm turned his back towards Reinhardt.
The grandfather and grandson put a full stop to the decisive question-answer, without even facing each other.
And, Wilhelm raised his finger and pointed towards the center of the city.
Wilhelm: "I am worried about the City Hall, to which Garfiel-dono is headed. If it would be possible, then I would request you to head there for providing support. 『Sword Saint』 Reinhardt-dono."
"ーーーー"
Terribly formal and unduly distant, receiving those polite words, Reinhardt looked in the direction towards which the finger pointed. He nodded, and then finally glanced at Heinkel.
Heinkel, who was still directing his resentment for the airs being put up, widened his blue eyes with a rough inhale, but Reinhardt ignored his upcoming spiteful words,
Reinhardt: "Outdoor is dangerous. If it would be possible, Deputy Commander, head to a shelter. ーーAlong with Wilhelm-dono."
Heinkel: "Y-You just shut the hell up! Hurry up and disappear!"
Being hit with the words of the spirit of a loser, Reinhardt turned his face away. At the same pace, he dashed towards the waterway, as if to kick its surface, he jumped above the building, and disappeared in the direction of the center of the city.
Seeing his outlandish movements, Heinkel spat. He then rushed to Wilhelm, who was walking slowly due to his injured right foot. However,
Heinkel: "Father-dono, going alone is..."
Wilhelm: "Leave me alone for now. Right now, I don't want anyone to see my face."
Heinkel: "Father..."
Wilhelm: "There is no need for you to worry about me. You should just worry about yourself. Hide in a suitable building or a shelter... you'll be fine by just that."
Giving his thoughts, Wilhelm then left Heinkel, who was now alone.
With his wife's ashes in the coat he held, he straightened his back, and dragged his feet.
"ーーーー"
He was left behind, alone, unable to stop him,or be by his side.
With Wilhelm eventually disappearing from visibility, Heinkel, who was left aloneーー.
Heinkel: "What, is your problem... what is your problem, what is your problem, what is your problem, what is your problem, damn it, what the hell is your problem!"
Left all alone in the plaza, standing on the cobblestone, glaring on the flat pavement, Heinkel cursed out his fury. Violently scratching his head, roaring his rage which could not be conveyed in words, he then threw the sword attached to his waist to the ground.
The beautiful knight sword rang a high-pitched echo, as it rolled down the ground.
Heinkel: "Shitshitshitshit, god damn everyone...! Everyone just go die...! Just go die~e~e~e~e~e~ ~hk!!"
Heinkel's bloody and hateful shriek resonated in the deserted plaza in solitude.
The scream, a mixture of boundless, endless resentment and grief, echoed far and wideーー.
The battlefield of the grandfather, father, and grandchild, with this, came to an end.
A lady, a grandmother, a mother, a wife.
The end of Thearesia van Astrea engraved wounds upon the hearts of the three.
ーーWith this, all of the battlefields in the fight for the Watergate City of Priestella had been settled.
"Yes, that's correct. Answer that later."
"Later?"
Facing Wilhelm, who furrowed his eyebrows, Thearesia nodded.
And, while swearing on her husband's wound to meet againーー.
"When I return, that day, please let me hear the words I could not hear."
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Her memories, were disappearing.
Visibility was disturbed within the sandstorm, and the scattered sounds and voices were becoming increasingly difficult to hear.
"ーー!"
Someone's wrathful roars, shrieks, screams, could be heard.
Towards one plane of her vision, all what was visible was greenーー no, this was the ground. It had the colour of a grassland. When she glanced around at her surroundings, the dense fog roughly, doubtfully around ten meters ahead her, completely locked the rest of the world.
The punitive force had been decimated to its half, and the forces were in a catastrophic state.
There was a desperate stampede, and they could not determine which direction they should take for escaping within the thick fog.
However, they just vaguely felt a titanic sense of oppression from the other side of the fog. Henceforth, it could be understood that the echoing voices were fleeing in the opposite direction from that.
"ーーーー"
Suddenly, she was unable to remember what had happened.
Within the violent and fiercely hard-fought battle, where they had worked hard to achieve dominance in the battle, she felt that it would be much more helpful if she utilised her power for retreating from the front lines?, and just when she started to feel that wayーー.
"ーー?"
Thinking that far, she noticed a faint sense of discomfort.
She glanced down at her palm. Something, uncomforting.
There was no problem in her limbs, in her eyes, or in her feet.
But she felt something like, as if, she had lost her wingsーー.
"The Divine Protection..."
She noticed it.
She could no longer sense the feeling of possessing the 『Divine Protection of the Sword Saint』. The same went for the Sword God, who was always by her side no matter how far she went with the sword.
Even his ridicule, was nowhere now.
"Reinhardtーー!"
At the same time, Thearesia felt she knew who now possessed what her body had lost.
Was this the same feeling her uncle got when he sensed Thearesia being the inheritor of the Divine Protection? Otherwise, it may just be that Thearesia was simply aware of Reinhardt's limitless natural talent.
Whichever it may be, Thearesia did not hold any doubts that the next generation 『Sword Saint』 would be Reinhardt.
That feeling was perhaps, traitorous to her actual son, Heinkelーー but neither did exist anyone to put the blame on for that, nor did she have the time to find someone to blame for that
"ーーOh, for a lone lady to be present in such a place, quite gallant indeed."
The graceful voice of a young girl, unfitting for the time and place, resonated.
Turning back, Thearesia saw a small shadow within the dense fog.
White clothes, platinum hair.
Intimate and affectionate?, an amiable gaze filled with sympathy boundlessly extolling togethernessーー misdirected love, to the point that it was unsettling.
"ーーーー"
"It seems I have not quite been taken a liking to."
Gripping the longsword, Thearesia stepped ahead.
If the girl were in a normal situation, she might have had worried for her. However, this was the world of death ruled by the dense fog of the White Whale.
The young girl, making her appearance here, was unquestionably beyond mysterious.
Even if she had lost the 『Divine Protection of the Sword Saint』, Thearesia's body still possessed the swordsmanship of a former Sword Saint. Fully demonstrating her ability, her swordsmanship, which was the pinnacle of swordsmanship, she slashed right through the petite body of the young girlーー,
"ーーI want to, understand you."
The young girl's voice tickled her eardrums, and her consciousness interspersed.
Her voice had something special.
Within the darkness, her consciousness fell.
With her hands and legs tied, Thearesia's body submerged in the bottomless lukewarm water.
The future of her grandson, the heart of her son, the bride who tied the two, such worries ran through her mind.
And, in the end,
"Wilhelm"
She called the name of her beloved, and her consciousness fragmented completely.
Andーー.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Thearesia: "Such a pathetic, face..."
Slowly opening her eyelids, she could see a messed up face.
His head was completely white, and his face had been etched with the fine lines of aging, but she could not help but think that this was cool in its own way.
There is no way she could have had mistaken.
It was the face of her husband. It seems quite some time had passed ever since that parting.
"ーーーー"
She inhaled deeply.
Close by, Heinkel and Reinhardt were also there. She could feel their presence.
All three men of the Astrea family had assembled here, possibly just to see her off.
Because everyone, is so kind.
Wilhelm: "Thearesia, I am..."
With his wrinkled face, Wilhelm was breathless.
She couldn't say that she disapproved of it in front of her son and grandson.
Where did he leave his majesty and dignity? Actually, looking back at it now, such weaknesses of his always stood out, surprisingly.
Thearesia: "Hey, Wilhelm..."
Her voice was husky, yet unusually youthful.
As if it wasn't hersーー no, it definitely was hers, but she was supposed to be a grandmother.
It seemed like her voice when she had first fallen in love, how embarrassing.
"ーーーー"
When she had first fallen in love, feeling like that, she felt more and more awkward.
There wasn't much time left, but they still wasted quite a lot of it by choosing to simply look at each other.
But, even still, it's alright.
The words Thearesia should have had said, she had conveyed them a sufficient number of times. Wilhelm, too, should know that.
That is why, the one needing the time, the chance, and the words was him.
Thearesia should simply, quietly wait for those words.
Though she will have to wait, her expectations will surely be fulfilled. That's? just how the man Wilhelm Trias was.
That's just how the man Wilhelm van Astrea was.
Wilhelm: "There is something I must... tell you."
"ーーーー"
Wilhelm; "I-I am a poor speaker... so I can't convey my thoughts well, I'm having a hard time even with you.... that's why even in these twenty years, never even once did I..."
"ーーーー"
Wilhelm: "These twenty years, may have made me uneasy. But, I am..."
Thearesia: "ーーA stupid person."
Seeing him struggle so much at speaking, and presenting himself so stupidly, she could not bear to hold it in.
She ended up saying it. Truly, what was this man saying?
Thearesia: "Did you really, never notice?"
She heartbreakingly reached out to the face which was in tears.
Her body was terribly heavy. There wasn't really any strength left in her, but she put all her remaining strength in her fingers, and wiped away the tears dropping down his face.
Thearesia: "You had always, been saying it."
"ーーーー"
Did he intend to hide it?
Did he believe, that he would be able to hide it if he never said it?
Thearesia: "Your voice, your eyes, your attitude, your actions, had always."
Everything which Wilhelm, had directed towards Thearesia.
This person, had always, above all, been clearly conveying his heartーー.
Wilhelm: "I am, with you"
Thearesia: "You are, with me"
That is why, it was sufficient.
"ーーIn love."
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
From the beginning to the end, my life was surely one full of blessings.
I had my brothers whom I had a good relationship with, I had a female friend who was always warm towards me and took tender care of me, I was helped by many people, I met Wilhelm.
I'm sure, lots of problems must still be there.
But I have faith, that you all will be alright.
But, the truth is, just one thing.
There was just one last thing, left in my heart which I wanted to ask.
ーーHow surprised would you be if you got to know, that it was actually love at first sight?
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
This was the last time, they exchanged words of love with each other.
The figure of Thearesia van Astrea, who was smiling with satisfaction, with her cheeks dyed with the tint of love, and eyes glistened with tears, lost its shape and crumbled in the blink of an eye.
In the arms of Wilhelm, who had knelt down, no longer visible was the form of a bleeding, suffering woman, but what was left was only a lump of ashesーー and that alone, was the proof of her former presence.
"ーーーー"
Having her life burn out and turning into a mere lump of ash, was Thearesia. Wilhelm widened his eyes, and simply, quietly, kept staring at Thearesia's remains.
???: "...Are you, satisfied now?"
And, instead of the silent and stationary Wilhelm, a man raised his voice.
The red-haired middle-aged manーー Heinkel, raised his voice at Reinhardt, who was standing next to him, with a look filled with hatred.
Reinhardt slowly met that look with his own eyes, and exhaled.
Reinhardt: "What do you mean, satisfied?"
Heinkel: "Don't play dumb, it's just as how you saw it! Are you satisfied? You must be satisfied now! Both in name and in reality, the position of 『Sword Saint』 is all yours now, congratulations! The rumours of you robbing it away by killing the previous generation would be unquestionably true now too. Huh, are you satisfied? Hey!"
Reinhardt: "I do not understand what you are trying to say."
Heinkel: "Don't make a face as if you're putting on airs! You shitty brat!"
Exhaling a hoarse breath, Heinkel tried to grab Reinhardt.
However, Reinhardt avoided his fingers, and controlled his father's body, stepping onto his palms like a foot-bellow.