Chapter 18: Death [1]

Chapter 18: Death [1]

The sun slowly sank. With dead eyes Shiro looked at the sinking sun, akin to his sinking heart. 

I... At the end I failed...

Mom!

Shiro felt as though his heart was aching. 

I wish I was born 10 years ago. 

There was no point in wasting his time despairing.

Even though the moon was slowly rising Mornil hadn't returned. 

Where was this old bastard?

Shiro's thoughts had turned a bit sluggish. Sheepishly he walked. 

Dejected. Tired. Sluggish. That was Shiro's state of mind. 

'Mom... She must have not eaten anything... or, maybe, just maybe she woke up... Sera gave her some food. Her condition became a little better... They both are enjoying vegetable soup and bread... Sera must be waiting at home with a warm smile, mom will instantly hug me.'

Hope... Shiro could just hope... Creatures like him could only hope. The thin hope of life was the thing that generated the will to live within one's heart, hope to live, one could just hope to live. 

Strengthening his will and mind filled with hope, Shiro instantly rushed towards his house. 

Finally, he appeared in front of the shabby hut-like structure. 

Forcing a hopeful smile on his face Shiro announced. "Mom, I'm home." Simultaneously he opened the wooden door. 

[Darkness]

Hope was still present in the young boy's eyes. It was as though his brain couldn't perceive the scene in front of him. No, rather he did not wish to. 

[Denial]

.

.

.

2 days later

A large passenger ship could be seen stopping stopping the port. Resisting the urge to stretch Mornil exited the ship. 

I should visit Loyola quickly. Making a mental note Mornil was first headed towards his clinic which was also his house.

After opening the door to his shabby-looking clinic, Mornil sat on the chair while placing the box filled with coins on the table.

With a swift movement of his hand, he removed the lock of the box, his eyes fixated on the coins. 

He had left one of the coins with a so-called friend of his who wished to conduct more tests on the coins. 

The friend of his couldn't find abnormalities in the coin but a few things made him believe that a concealed curse could've been placed on the coin. 

If there's some kind of curse placed on the coins, then what's the condition of activating the curse and choosing the victim?

Is it like a contagious disease which spreads upon physical contact? Or did the curse affect to anyone and everyone who saw the coins?

Was it like an airborne disease that spread through the air?

Did the curse spread from person to person? Did it pass on genetically through the generations?

After pondering for a few more minutes Mornil finally decided. 

He was gonna look for some Victims. Victims as in people who had personally received the coins from the villain himself.

Affirming this thought Mornil shot up to his legs, and after making some preparations he walked out of the clinic. 

The first victim to look for was definitely Loyola. She was probably the nearest to him. 

While inspecting her, he could also meet up with her after this trip. It was akin to killing two birds with a single arrow. 

With a ten-minute walk, he finally reached his destination, Loyola's house. 

'Hmm, why does this place have a kind of... Well, um a gloomy aura?' With his sharp eyes and instincts, Mornil instantly noticed that something was different. 

Showing the courtesy of a gentleman, he politely knocked on the door. 

"Loyola, it's me."

Silence. 

No reply. 

Knock knock. 

"Loyola. Open the door."

Knock knock. 

Seeing that there was no response once again, Mornil gave in and pushed the door revealing the scene behind. 

"Oh... You have finally returned... Old man Mornil." 

Dead eyes... Such a look... Mornil never expected that he'd ever see such a look on Shiro's face. 

But things made sense. Especially with that decaying body. 

Sighing, Mornil walked in looking at the chair. It seemed as though Shiro had used up a lot of effort to put his sister in a sitting position. 

On her lap, a plate with bread was placed. 

"Mornil..."Shiro suddenly called out. "Do you know, how to make vegetable soup? I think she's not eating because the bread is dry, she wants the soup."

"Oh, wait. How silly of me. Look at how pale she is. She's a good sister, it's probably because she has an upset stomach. Don't worry sis, now that old man Mornil's here, he will cure you."

Sigh, the poor lad...

Mornil slowly walked forward, Looking at Loyola who seemed to be unconscious. He stretched his right arm, pushing his fingers forward. 

Hmm... A little cold, but definitely not dead. 

"Mornil..." Shiro once again called out. This time he walked towards his leg while grasping the fabric of Mornil's trousers.

"Old man Mornil... Will you please... Help Mom... Will you help Sis?"

Mornil felt that his heart ached. Forcing a smile he said. "I will save her... I will save Loyola Shiro, don't worry." He was a doctor, a doctor who cared about his patients a lot and had seen deaths of those patients, countless deaths on this island. Over the years it was as though he slowly stopped caring about those deaths. 

But Sera's death... He had watched that little girl grow over the years... She was like his daughter. 

She was a good young girl who tried to help her mother whenever she could. She was a kind big sister to Shiro and to Mornil... She was a cute little daughter who should be spoiled till no end, that should have all her wishes fulfilled. 

Mornil slowly grabbed Sera. 

She should at least have a proper burial. 

You're immune to deaths... You're immune to deaths... You don't care about deaths anymore... You don't care about deaths anymore...

But at that moment a drop of tear fell down his eye. 

I'm sorry Loyola... I'm sorry Shiro... Sera, forgive me...