Chapter 180 - 180. Death and Those Left Behind (1)

Zeto's death.

Coincidentally, the first to hear the sad news was Yuri Clementine.

When Jeto didn't come back, he went out of the academy to find him... And met Eisel and Edward on their way back to the academy.

"That's a lie...? Jeto..."

Yuri burst out laughing.

She denied

Jetto, which Eisel was carrying, was wrapped in cloth because Edward's fantasy magic had disappeared.

To Yuri's eyes, who had no way of knowing this, it looked like Jetto was just sleeping on Eisel's back.

"Jetto is dead."

But once again, I could hear Eisel's unbelievable voice sounding so serious and clear.

Eisel's clothes were stained with blood.

Jetto, his face full of scratches.

The silence of Edward, who stood beside them.

Everything felt weird.

"No way..."

Yuri stepped out of her weak leg and approached Eisel and Jeto.

It was only then that the blood on the cloth Jetto was covered with covered her eyes.

Yuri's fingertips, which were reaching out toward her cloth, trembled violently.

Yuri wanted to deny it.

Because it was so unexpected.

But death always comes suddenly.

Glass holding the cloth.

In the end, her hands reveal the cruel truth.

"Ah...?"

A word full of doubts.

The cloth was removed, and Jetto's terrible scars were reflected in Yuri's eyes.

"..."

Yuri's trembling eyes were asking Jetto.

Why are you doing that?

Why is Zeto bleeding?

What is it all about?

Yuri felt her head dizzy.

A severe headache that I have never felt before.

She could hardly accept the cruel truth that Jeto had died.

At that moment, the orb in Yuri's arms, Beno's voice, is heard.

[ ...Master, calm down. ]

Why did Beno say that... Yuri didn't understand, but after coming back to her senses and looking around her, she knew it.

ㅡHurt!

The whole forest was engulfed in flames.

A hot flame soared around her as she clutched her head.

Eisel and Zetto, who were not affected by the flames due to Edward's shield before it was too late.

Yuri stared at Eisel with expressionless eyes.

She was wondering

Jeto is dead?

Why can't you be okay?

Zeto is dead, so why are you making such a nonchalant face?'

In the end, Yuri's distorted mind reaches the wrong conclusion.

"Yes... It's your fault..."

Yuri approached Eisel with flames.

Eisel was carrying Jeto's body on her back, but that didn't catch her eye.

"Isn't it all your fault...? Jeto died..."

Yuri asked, putting her hand on Eisel's neck.

Edward's protective shield was slowly melting.

Yuri remembered.

Why did Jeto leave the academy?

"Yes. It's all my fault."

Eisel did not avoid Yuri's hand.

"Zetto died protecting me.

Eisel, who had blank eyes, continued her words.

"...Even if I die, Zeto won't come back."

It was a theory.

Even so, Yuri denied it.

As she continued, she thrust her hand into Eisel's throat.

That moment.

ㅡ Tak.

Her hand reaches through her raging flames and grabs her arm.

Yuri turned her head.

The owner of the hand was Edward.

ㅡ Chi profit...

Edward's hand, which was blocking Yuri's arm, was burning.

"...Cadet Yuri, I understand your desire to find someone to blame, but... Stop it at this point."

"..."

"Aren't you just looking for someone to pour out your anger on? Does Cadet Glass want Cadet Zeto's sacrifice to be in vain?"

Edward, who did not groan in pain from burning his hands, said so in a calm voice.

"Cadet Eisel is the same. Please don't encourage her any more."

"..."

Eisel turned her head away from Edward's gaze.

"Think carefully. To truly benefit Cadet Zeto, what should we do?"

"..."

Yuri, unable to follow her words, looked at Eisel.

She looked into Eisel's golden eyes.

What filled those eyes was not indifference.

An excruciatingly deep-rooted emptiness.

Eisel had already been shattered in an instant.

Soon, Yuri drops her arm.

Yuri sat down on her floor and lowered her head.

She just realized what an ugly thing she was about to do.

"...Come back after collecting your emotions. Those who are left behind have things to do as they are left behind."

After that, Edward picked up a piece of cloth that had fallen on the floor and wrapped it around Jetto.

Soon, they turn away from Yuri.

Yuri did not follow them or catch them.

Left behind in the flames that engulfed the entire forest, she just stared blankly at their backs and Zeto's backs as they left.

***

Arriving at the academy, Edward went straight to the principal's office. He was there to report on this situation.

Edward reported what he had seen and the information he had grasped to his father, Julie Ut, who was also the principal of Innocence Academy.

"...Cadet Zeto's body was handed over to Medical Officer Priscilla."

Soon, Julius, who had been listening to the report, drool.

"Hmm... Where is Cadet Eisel now?"

"She said that Cadet Zeto would stand by her side..."

"...I see. Didn't Cadet Jeto...Surely have younger sisters?"

"She was living with him in the academy's dormitory."

"For them..."

"I'll tell you myself."

"...I see."

Julius swallowed the confusion.

"I'll put off all the cadets' schedules for now. Please arrange his funeral quickly."

"Yes."

Immediately tomorrow, the first year cadets were scheduled to go on a trip to the east, but the schedule was naturally postponed as Jeto died.

In any case, Jeto died as a cadet, and since he had no other connections, the academy had to take care of Jetto's funeral.

"...Is this all you're seeing?"

I think I heard everything roughly, but since Edward hardly moved his feet, Julius questioned this question.

Soon, Edward's mouth, which had been tightly closed, opened.

"Once this is settled... Instructor, I will quit."

"...I won't allow it."

"Why? Don't we need someone to take responsibility for this situation?"

When Edward argues, Julius crosses his brow and puts the glasses he was wearing on the desk.

"...I appreciate your willingness to take responsibility...But don't try to run away, son."

"..."

"My disciple was killed by the demons. I wouldn't think that this father would not know what you think..."

Julius stared into Edward's eyes.

"...Do you want to go back to the old days? Eddie."

Edward, who was in front of Juliut's eyes, had the same eyes as Edward in the past.

A look that only wants to slaughter enemies, a look that wants revenge.

It was Edward who told Yuri not to look for someone to blame, but he was no different.

Those words, in the end, were also what he said to himself.

"Haven't you already experienced it? Even if you slaughter all the demons around you, nothing will change. Above all, it's different from before. Don't you have people you need to protect? Besides... I heard that you have a child..."

"..."

Edward frowned and turned his head away, remembering the face of his wife, Vanessa.

"If you can't keep it, you'll desperately try to protect what's left. That's the role of a father, and it's a virtue to have as an instructor."

"..."

"If you understand, stop going."

Edward quietly bowed his head and left the principal's office.

Left alone in the principal's office, Julius stared blankly at the window where the raindrops were hitting.

The city, which had been pouring rain, was drowning in sorrow.

***

ㅡShoot ah...

It was pouring rain.

The fire that had engulfed the forest was long gone.

Water drops fall on the back of your hand.

Unfortunately, it wasn't raining.

The heat he felt in the water droplets conveyed this.

Drops of water fall once more.

I decided to admit it.

No, I couldn't deny it.

I had to accept it even for Zeto's sake.

Jetto... Is dead.

As I was blankly beaten by the rain, I remembered Zeto.

I remembered Jeto's appearance and the scent that emanated from Jeto's arms.

I remembered his sweet voice, which I could no longer hear.

What was the last conversation you had with Jeto?

It was definitely morning.

Zeto, who met on the way to school, was heading in the opposite direction of the academy.

When I asked where I was going, Jetto said he would bring Eisel for a while.

'So when are you coming back?'

'I don't know about that...'

'...Do whatever you want.'

Feeling a bit upset at the way he looked after Eisel, I cut off his words and turned my back.

"...I'm sorry."

The last thing he said to Jeto was just... That.

"Uhhhhh..."

His chest felt tight and he pounded on the damp ground.

The tears that flowed down his cheeks mixed with the rain.

"I must apologize..."

I had to say sorry.

I finally got up and ran toward the city.

Where did you go

Jetto, where are you?

While frantically running through the city, I was able to find Jetto.

Jetto, who was seen blurry in front of the restaurant with the lights off, was talking to me.

'Ms. Yuri is really good at eating.'

'It's noisy...!'

'Haha...'

As we get closer to Jeto, who was laughing slyly, the images of Jeto and I disappear as raindrops.

'Miss Glass...'

"Zetto...?"

Hearing his voice again, he turned his head and looked around.

'...Miss Yuri, it's strawberry milk.'

'Oh oh...!'

Yes. It was a street he often walked with.

The whole street was full of zeto.

I walked as if possessed.

I looked back at my memories and memories with him.

'You're going to read me a fairy tale...?'

'Yes, there is a children's book that I really wanted to read to Jeto...'

'Isn't that nice?'

It was the first time.

Jetto was the first man outside of his family to feel comfortable talking to.

Then, when I turn my gaze, I see Jeto and I sitting at a table on the terrace of a closed cafe.

'How is it? This saint... Looks like Zeto, doesn't it?'

'Is that so...?'

'It's because they all look alike...!'

'Then who is the princess?'

'That... I don't know.'

'How is Miss Yuri? Do you hate the princess?'

'What, what kind of noise...!'

Really... He was a man like a fairy tale.

When I am with him, he is easily mistaken.

If the other person is Zeto... I wondered if pure love, which would appear in a children's book, wouldn't be such a dream.

It was all pointless now.

I can't forget the street that I can't forget if I want to forget it.

"...Ah."

It was an ordinary street, nothing special.

But I couldn't forget this street, this scenery.

My feet moved on their own.

I walked the same way as back then.

To the beginning of everything, I was going back to the beginning.

On the side of the road, I could see myself from the past.

I focused on the corner at the end of the road.

Just around the corner... Zeto will bump into me.

"Stop..."

I chased the past me.

I had to prevent what happened later.

But the me of the past goes around the corner without even thinking about it.

Then, the sound of Jetto falling is heard.

"Stop... Please..."

I sat down on the floor.

All strength was draining from my body.

My voice, spitting out harsh words toward Jeto, pierces my ears.

It was painful.

The fact that both the beginning and the end of Zeto had thorns on them.

"Ah..."

Only then did it come to mind

Jeto's last words came to mind.

Jetto said that to me who turned his back.

"I'm sure... I'll definitely come back..."

Jetto left me with those words.

"This... Is not a return..."

Jetto, who left me like that, came back to me as a cold corpse.

I wanted to protect Jeto.

I wanted to be strong enough to protect him.

I hoped he wouldn't overdo it.

I didn't want him to leave my side.

But I wasn't even given a chance to protect him.

It's just that it was so painful.