Sion, who was next to him, also did not look as flawless as they had seen until now.
“Find a way, Pope.”
The overbearing voice was still there, but the appearance... looked as if it might collapse at any moment.
Of course, that description of danger was only possible because of his good looks. If it weren't for that face, he would have just looked like a beggar.
And then there's Victor, crying like an animal in front of the coffin.
The Pope felt dizzy.
'If you just open the main door of that chapel over there, the rest of the church will be full of believers attending the funeral mass!'
To the people of the empire, the transcendent being was like a spiritual pillar. If such a divine monster were to show a completely broken appearance...
The faith of the people of the empire will be crushed by fear, and the authority of the Holy See will fall to the ground.
'God, please give me the strength to appease those monsters. Just enough to hold the funeral mass safely.'
The Pope prayed fervently, but nothing happened.
Because those monsters didn't care about the visitors.
The Pope regretted it. Rather than seeing this, he would have prayed to God to 'kill your old servant.'
By the time they entered the chapel, all the guests had expressions of mourning and sorrow.
'I never thought the only Purifier of the Empire would die so vainly.'
Everyone shed tears without exception as if they had forgotten all the times she had been accused of being wicked by the rumors.
But after the mass began, no mourner cried. No, there was no time to cry.
Because just enduring the shocking sight before their eyes was their limit.
I'm talking about a bizarre scene where crazy transcendent beings fondle corpses and beg for affection from them.
“Odette. Open your eyes, we were wrong.”
They were the spear of the empire and the shield of humanity.
They never imagined that it would collapse so horribly.
Among them, the appearance of the Crown Prince was particularly grotesque.
“Odette, please wake up. Yes?”
Devastated eyes, reddened and swollen eyelids, and nose, feeble sobs.
“Why am I always late? You were the only one who mattered, but now nothing else matters..”
Since awakening as a transcendent being at the age of 4, John has always shown a strong appearance. He has been a long-time spiritual leader of the people of the empire.
He attended countless funeral masses from a young age. No matter the tragedy, he always stood at the front with a calm expression, covered the casket with the national flag, and awarded medals.
All things related to the symbol of the Empire, absolute justice, and noble honor.
“Just open your eyes. I’ll give you the empire or whatever.”
He was sobbing and kissing the corpse's hand, having lost his mind.
To the people of the empire, it was not just an unfamiliar sight, but a shock like the collapse of a huge mountain.
In the midst of all this, there was no way the funeral mass could proceed properly.
Finally, the Pope concluded the funeral mass in a clumsy manner, and the mourners hastily left the chapel.
As if that would allow them to escape from the horrible sight.
Everyone who left felt bitter regret.
If they had known that the days after Odette's disappearance would be so unsettling and painful, they would not have mocked or laughed at her.
In the chapel where even the Pope had left, only the coffin and three transcendent beings remained.
This was because Karl, who had been holding Odette in his arms the entire way to the chapel, suddenly realized something and ran off to the cliff as soon as they arrived at the chapel.
In Karl's eyes, looking down at her for the last time, there was no longer despair, only a firm determination. A kind of mad confidence that he could get what was his back.
As the supernatural powers that Karl had been pouring out disappeared, time began to flow for Odette's corpse.
Sion's eyes, looking down at the slowly decaying corpse, became filled with confusion.
'It seemed as if she would never die until she finished her revenge.'
Sion recalled the blue-green eyes that had met his gaze. The eyes immediately captured his gaze. The pride, sense of purpose, and overflowing vitality contained within them.
Then even the corpse in front of him feels like an illusion.
'No matter how much you hate me, there's no way you would have died. You would have lived until the end, even if it was just for revenge.'
Again, he return to a thought he have repeated several times already.
But no matter how much he concluded that it couldn't be true, what he ultimately saw was Odette's corpse.
It was at that moment that Victor, who was looking at the corpse that was beginning to decay, opened his mouth with a hoarse voice.
“It’s strange. This corpse... Is it really Odette?”
At those words, Sion raised his head.
“As time begins to pass, I start to see strange things. Damn it. Why didn’t I notice it before? Doesn’t it feel like someone... is intentionally creating a fake?”
“...Colonel Koenig. You seem very tired as well. I know you want to deny the fact that she died, but-”
“Damn it. Your Highness, even if it sounds like nonsense, it’s true. Look at it carefully! Even the locket necklace is different from when Odette had it!”
Victor reached out towards Odette's neck, grabbed the locket necklace, and cut the string.
Then she showed the necklace to Sion and John.
It was an item he had given her. To summon Sion when she was in danger of death.
Until the day he handed it over, Sion himself could not have imagined that she would be in that 'death crisis'.
“As expected, the most important thing is missing. Originally, when I used my power here, it felt similar to... a faint sense of divine power.”
Victor spoke in a voice that had suddenly become firmer.
“Odette might be alive.”
His eyes began to fill with confidence and joy.
John also didn't seem to be taking those words lightly. It was as if he had caught something off guard.
'Yes. Yes! Odette couldn't die like this without even getting her revenge.'
In Sion's mind, the assumption that 'she might be alive' quickly changed to the certainty that 'she is alive.'
“Then I will search the entire empire and-”
It was at that moment when John, wiping away his tears and with a determined expression, was about to give an order as if he were willing to stake everything on that one ray of hope. Sion grabbed his arm.
“No, Your Highness.”
A cracked voice, trembling arms.
Sion himself couldn't tell whether his arms were shaking from extreme fear or extreme joy.
“If that child, if that child is alive... that child should come to us on his own feet. We can’t go there first.”
It sounded disgusting even to hear it himself. Contrary to the content of the words, there was a dirty longing in his voice to go find Odette right away.
“You have to wait as quietly as possible so that the child can come to you on his own feet.”
To those words, it was Victor, not John, who answered Sion harshly.
“Yes. Of course. Sion, even if you die, don’t even think about finding Odette. You almost killed Odette. I’m the one who can find Odette.”
“Victor. If you dare move, I will knock you to the ground.”
“Stay here, you scared little shit. I need to see for myself that Odette is alive.”
After saying that, Victor immediately stormed out of the chapel. As if trying to stop him, John also followed him out of the chapel.
The moment Sion got up to help John, he saw his own reflection in the chapel window.
A horribly wretched sight that makes you stop.
'If Odette is alive... and if she ever returns, she might see this sight.'
If possible, he wishes she would feel sorry for him and forgive him for losing her and being a broken person...
'At least I should feel like a man. It shouldn't be this shabby.'
It was at that moment that he was sleeping and roughly messing up his hair.
An unfamiliar rose scent wafted into the chapel.
“Is this by any chance where Lady Odette’s funeral mass will be held?”
As Sion turned his head, a girl with pink hair was standing at the entrance of the chapel.
“I also came here because I wanted to attend the funeral mass.”
His pupils dilated because he realized something at that moment.
“After six months, I won’t need to cleanse myself.”
Odette had anticipated the appearance of 'that thing' from the beginning.
The reason she left 3 months earlier than the 6 months she had said when she was dealing with them, and the reason she left without even finishing her revenge, was related to the early appearance of 'that thing'.
Hope blossomed in the eyes of the devastated Sion. No, to be precise, madness pretending to be hope.
Because the presence of that pink-haired woman gave him more confidence that Odette was alive.
For the first time, Sion thought it was fortunate that his special ability was a dog. He was confident in waiting blindly.
He will gladly wait until Odette returns for revenge.
But Sion had no idea.
Odette wouldn't return for two years.
Even if the other Transcendent beings, tired of waiting, searched furiously, they would not find even the slightest trace of Odette.
Sion wanted to find her more than anyone else, but he held on with superhuman patience.
But Sion's fundamental nature had not changed. He was accustomed to control and violence, so he could not possibly enjoy this kind of obedient waiting.
It was just a desperate struggle to avoid being hated when she came back.
Odette is definitely coming back.
Maybe Odette will come back.
Maybe she won't come back.
Or maybe she really is dead.
As always, Sion, who was reading the documents about the Count's family, covered his face with his palm. His palm was soaked with tears.
After two years of being tortured by hope, he was now pushed to his limit.
He hadn't slept properly for two years, worrying so much about Odette's return.
Please, Odette. I'm here waiting for you to come.
You don't hate me anymore? You don't even resent me? Then what's the point of waiting?
Sion's obsession with Odette grew pathological as it was suppressed.
To the point where he thinks of Odette wherever he goes, and sees visions of Odette wherever he goes.
But welcome is welcome. Odette did not do him any favors in response to his desperation.
“Find a way, Pope.”
The overbearing voice was still there, but the appearance... looked as if it might collapse at any moment.
Of course, that description of danger was only possible because of his good looks. If it weren't for that face, he would have just looked like a beggar.
And then there's Victor, crying like an animal in front of the coffin.
The Pope felt dizzy.
'If you just open the main door of that chapel over there, the rest of the church will be full of believers attending the funeral mass!'
To the people of the empire, the transcendent being was like a spiritual pillar. If such a divine monster were to show a completely broken appearance...
The faith of the people of the empire will be crushed by fear, and the authority of the Holy See will fall to the ground.
'God, please give me the strength to appease those monsters. Just enough to hold the funeral mass safely.'
The Pope prayed fervently, but nothing happened.
Because those monsters didn't care about the visitors.
The Pope regretted it. Rather than seeing this, he would have prayed to God to 'kill your old servant.'
***
By the time they entered the chapel, all the guests had expressions of mourning and sorrow.
'I never thought the only Purifier of the Empire would die so vainly.'
Everyone shed tears without exception as if they had forgotten all the times she had been accused of being wicked by the rumors.
But after the mass began, no mourner cried. No, there was no time to cry.
Because just enduring the shocking sight before their eyes was their limit.
I'm talking about a bizarre scene where crazy transcendent beings fondle corpses and beg for affection from them.
“Odette. Open your eyes, we were wrong.”
They were the spear of the empire and the shield of humanity.
They never imagined that it would collapse so horribly.
Among them, the appearance of the Crown Prince was particularly grotesque.
“Odette, please wake up. Yes?”
Devastated eyes, reddened and swollen eyelids, and nose, feeble sobs.
“Why am I always late? You were the only one who mattered, but now nothing else matters..”
Since awakening as a transcendent being at the age of 4, John has always shown a strong appearance. He has been a long-time spiritual leader of the people of the empire.
He attended countless funeral masses from a young age. No matter the tragedy, he always stood at the front with a calm expression, covered the casket with the national flag, and awarded medals.
All things related to the symbol of the Empire, absolute justice, and noble honor.
“Just open your eyes. I’ll give you the empire or whatever.”
He was sobbing and kissing the corpse's hand, having lost his mind.
To the people of the empire, it was not just an unfamiliar sight, but a shock like the collapse of a huge mountain.
In the midst of all this, there was no way the funeral mass could proceed properly.
Finally, the Pope concluded the funeral mass in a clumsy manner, and the mourners hastily left the chapel.
As if that would allow them to escape from the horrible sight.
Everyone who left felt bitter regret.
If they had known that the days after Odette's disappearance would be so unsettling and painful, they would not have mocked or laughed at her.
***
In the chapel where even the Pope had left, only the coffin and three transcendent beings remained.
This was because Karl, who had been holding Odette in his arms the entire way to the chapel, suddenly realized something and ran off to the cliff as soon as they arrived at the chapel.
In Karl's eyes, looking down at her for the last time, there was no longer despair, only a firm determination. A kind of mad confidence that he could get what was his back.
As the supernatural powers that Karl had been pouring out disappeared, time began to flow for Odette's corpse.
Sion's eyes, looking down at the slowly decaying corpse, became filled with confusion.
'It seemed as if she would never die until she finished her revenge.'
Sion recalled the blue-green eyes that had met his gaze. The eyes immediately captured his gaze. The pride, sense of purpose, and overflowing vitality contained within them.
Then even the corpse in front of him feels like an illusion.
'No matter how much you hate me, there's no way you would have died. You would have lived until the end, even if it was just for revenge.'
Again, he return to a thought he have repeated several times already.
But no matter how much he concluded that it couldn't be true, what he ultimately saw was Odette's corpse.
It was at that moment that Victor, who was looking at the corpse that was beginning to decay, opened his mouth with a hoarse voice.
“It’s strange. This corpse... Is it really Odette?”
At those words, Sion raised his head.
“As time begins to pass, I start to see strange things. Damn it. Why didn’t I notice it before? Doesn’t it feel like someone... is intentionally creating a fake?”
“...Colonel Koenig. You seem very tired as well. I know you want to deny the fact that she died, but-”
“Damn it. Your Highness, even if it sounds like nonsense, it’s true. Look at it carefully! Even the locket necklace is different from when Odette had it!”
Victor reached out towards Odette's neck, grabbed the locket necklace, and cut the string.
Then she showed the necklace to Sion and John.
It was an item he had given her. To summon Sion when she was in danger of death.
Until the day he handed it over, Sion himself could not have imagined that she would be in that 'death crisis'.
“As expected, the most important thing is missing. Originally, when I used my power here, it felt similar to... a faint sense of divine power.”
Victor spoke in a voice that had suddenly become firmer.
“Odette might be alive.”
His eyes began to fill with confidence and joy.
John also didn't seem to be taking those words lightly. It was as if he had caught something off guard.
'Yes. Yes! Odette couldn't die like this without even getting her revenge.'
In Sion's mind, the assumption that 'she might be alive' quickly changed to the certainty that 'she is alive.'
“Then I will search the entire empire and-”
It was at that moment when John, wiping away his tears and with a determined expression, was about to give an order as if he were willing to stake everything on that one ray of hope. Sion grabbed his arm.
“No, Your Highness.”
A cracked voice, trembling arms.
Sion himself couldn't tell whether his arms were shaking from extreme fear or extreme joy.
“If that child, if that child is alive... that child should come to us on his own feet. We can’t go there first.”
It sounded disgusting even to hear it himself. Contrary to the content of the words, there was a dirty longing in his voice to go find Odette right away.
“You have to wait as quietly as possible so that the child can come to you on his own feet.”
To those words, it was Victor, not John, who answered Sion harshly.
“Yes. Of course. Sion, even if you die, don’t even think about finding Odette. You almost killed Odette. I’m the one who can find Odette.”
“Victor. If you dare move, I will knock you to the ground.”
“Stay here, you scared little shit. I need to see for myself that Odette is alive.”
After saying that, Victor immediately stormed out of the chapel. As if trying to stop him, John also followed him out of the chapel.
The moment Sion got up to help John, he saw his own reflection in the chapel window.
A horribly wretched sight that makes you stop.
'If Odette is alive... and if she ever returns, she might see this sight.'
If possible, he wishes she would feel sorry for him and forgive him for losing her and being a broken person...
'At least I should feel like a man. It shouldn't be this shabby.'
It was at that moment that he was sleeping and roughly messing up his hair.
An unfamiliar rose scent wafted into the chapel.
“Is this by any chance where Lady Odette’s funeral mass will be held?”
As Sion turned his head, a girl with pink hair was standing at the entrance of the chapel.
“I also came here because I wanted to attend the funeral mass.”
His pupils dilated because he realized something at that moment.
“After six months, I won’t need to cleanse myself.”
Odette had anticipated the appearance of 'that thing' from the beginning.
The reason she left 3 months earlier than the 6 months she had said when she was dealing with them, and the reason she left without even finishing her revenge, was related to the early appearance of 'that thing'.
Hope blossomed in the eyes of the devastated Sion. No, to be precise, madness pretending to be hope.
Because the presence of that pink-haired woman gave him more confidence that Odette was alive.
For the first time, Sion thought it was fortunate that his special ability was a dog. He was confident in waiting blindly.
He will gladly wait until Odette returns for revenge.
But Sion had no idea.
Odette wouldn't return for two years.
Even if the other Transcendent beings, tired of waiting, searched furiously, they would not find even the slightest trace of Odette.
Sion wanted to find her more than anyone else, but he held on with superhuman patience.
But Sion's fundamental nature had not changed. He was accustomed to control and violence, so he could not possibly enjoy this kind of obedient waiting.
It was just a desperate struggle to avoid being hated when she came back.
Odette is definitely coming back.
Maybe Odette will come back.
Maybe she won't come back.
Or maybe she really is dead.
As always, Sion, who was reading the documents about the Count's family, covered his face with his palm. His palm was soaked with tears.
After two years of being tortured by hope, he was now pushed to his limit.
He hadn't slept properly for two years, worrying so much about Odette's return.
Please, Odette. I'm here waiting for you to come.
You don't hate me anymore? You don't even resent me? Then what's the point of waiting?
Sion's obsession with Odette grew pathological as it was suppressed.
To the point where he thinks of Odette wherever he goes, and sees visions of Odette wherever he goes.
But welcome is welcome. Odette did not do him any favors in response to his desperation.
-Part 1 complete
To be continued in Part 2.
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O desespero é sempre algo, principalmente quando se trata deles. Obrigada pela tradução, divissima Novellate ❤️
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