Farewell And Goodbye

...BURST!...

I watch from a distance as the scorching flame comes out of the underground basement and burns all the trees above the ground.

It was the last request of the old man written in his letter.

A letter that I found on top of all the things he had prepared for my departure.

A letter which is also his last will.

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***A few hours before the current event.***

After calming down the outburst of my emotions, I was finally able to gather my strength and stand up.

I don't know how long I stayed lying on the floor as I cried my heart out, but it's probably long enough for me to recover my strength.

Accepting the reality of the old man's death, I finally got the courage to look back at his lifeless body.

He is still sitting on the floor while his back is resting on the wall.

His clothes are stained with blood, which shows how much pain he has to suffer before passing away. Yet the look on his face shows the opposite of that image.

"Seriously, old man... How can someone have a satisfied smile at the end of his time."

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It took me some time to decide how I should proceed with all the things that happened.

When I finally decided to give the old man's body a proper burial outside the underground basement, I then noticed a bag along with my Dagger and Knife, which were filed up at the top of the table.

The bag contains some supplies. Food, water, a few clothes, some research documents, the materials that I got from defeating the Mystic-Wolf, and a map that leads outside the forest and into the town.

And on top of all those things is a letter written by the old man.

I opened the letter and began reading what was written inside.

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...Dear Siel, the SHORT-TEMPERED brat...

"Damn it, old man... Sob... Don't start your last will with a joke... Sob..."

...I'm writing this letter since I don't have enough time to properly explain everything to you...

...And because you will probably not listen to anything I might say after I reveal my secrets to you...

...After all, you are Siel, the SHORT-TEMPERED brat...

"One more joke and I will stop reading your letter and rip it to shreds, old man."

...Don't lose your temper now, kid...

"You, old man..."

...First, I want to apologize to you for lying...

...The cure medicine that you and I have been making for over a month is not actually for me but for you to take. After all, I already give up on healing my body but I don't want to give up on healing yours...

"I know that already, old man. At least write something I don't know..."

...Your body is deteriorating like mine. It is probably because of the poor result of the experiment that Admel did. Or maybe, it is just impossible to create a normal body by replicating the Sacred Hero Summoning Ritual...

...As I appraised your System status, I found out that your fake body is unable to gather and use the power of Mana which is why it is slowly dying...

...That is also the reason why you were unable to learn Magic and Skills during your training...

...The medicine that I have injected into your heart will give it an artificial Magic Crystal that your body needs to be able to gather and use the power of Mana...

...However, I advise you to only learn one element of Magic. As of learning two or more will further reduce the limited life span of your body...

"Wait... What do you mean by limited life span, old man?..."

Reading what the old man has written so far gives me a bad premonition about the condition of my fake body.

...Second, I want to apologize because I failed to heal your body...

...The medicine that I give to you will only extend your life span by more or less one year...

...I'm not saying that it is impossible to treat the deterioration of your body. I just don't have a lot of time remaining to completely make a cure medicine for your condition. That medicine is the best I can do with what I have left...

...That is why I'm leaving you all the research documents about your condition and mine as well. I hope you can find someone to help you make a proper cure medicine using those research documents...

...Third, there are some oils stored in the storage room. Using those, I want you to burn this place along with my body...

...Make sure to burn this place to the ashes so that all of my remaining research will be buried in the ground and no other people will be able to use it like what happened with Admel...

...Fourth, I want to thank you for staying by my side...

...I know that I don't deserve any forgiveness, considering all the innocent lives that I took. But being with you for a month, doing my best to create a cure medicine that I once gave up not for my own sake but for others, gives me a feeling of salvation for myself...

...I know that it sounds absurd, probably even despicable for you, but I hope you won't mind me having that thought as I face my death...

...After all, I rather have that peaceful thought than think of my regret for not being able to drag Admel and his people along with my death...

...Finally, I don't know what is your connection with the Goddess but always be careful. Don't let others appraise your System status. Bad things will surely come if troublesome people learn about it...

...I don't want to see your face on the other side anytime soon, so stay away from trouble and don't die yet...

...Survive and live a life...

...Your old man, Mister...

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***Back to the current event.***

I followed the old man's instructions and used the oils in the storage to burn the underground basement along with all of his remaining research and his own body.

Then, after making sure that the fire won't spread to the forest, I stand up and carry my equipment

I turned my back to the first place I once called home after arriving in this world of Reverie and said my final words.

"Thank you for everything, old man."