The dark clouds were dispelled and time flows fast in the acute fight. The moon has already been taken over by the sun, the fight in hours has finally ended. It is a meaningful fight, they have to save Velvet from the status of a hellion. Sorey goes on a long and rugged road with his companions while carrying Velvet on his back. From the ‘new wasteland’ in the forest to the fields of mountains, where the Falewin Hillside connecting with the other side of the mountain range there. They are heading to Meirchio, to find the way solving the execution arte set on them. However, now they will first find a place to take care of Velvet.
The way is much shorter than the estimation from the distance drawn on the map. Accurately, they sometimes ride on the back of the silver dragon so the time goes very differently. Maotelus is kind to let them ride on his back, maybe because that is something he can help them. Stills, it causes three days to reach the mountain range and Velvet has not shown any sign of awakening. They landed on one of the mountains with a ruin there so that they may rest in there. The abandoned building was a tower, apparently, there are traces of living that simple furniture set present here and it is big enough to allow a group of people staying there. Sorey and Mikleo are amused that the building is not recorded in the Celestial Record, guess the writer was not able to enter the secret domain at that time. This tower may see the surrounding view in a wide range from the rooftop that linking to the ground of a cliff and when they look up the sky at night, they can view the starry sky without obstruction. They won’t be surprised if this tower was a tower of the observatory with people lived in seclusion here.
The view here is amazing for sure, yet Sorey has no mood to appreciate the ruin or the view here because the sleeping beauty is not awaking.
Velvet is saved from Tartarus's control finally. When Sorey finally purified Velvet, she curled into a ball and held her head, there's bloodstain of wounds everywhere on her body, the most serious one is the one on her neck that caused by the explosion of the collar. If she was not a hellion at that time, she may not survive through the bomb explosion of the destruction of the metal collar. Although the seraphim have tried their best to heal, it is not sure if there still inner wounds exist, as Edna has claimed that she is not sure if Sorey is fulled healed by the seraphic artes too, and it is very obvious in Velvet’s case.
The evidence is that Velvet lost her consciousness since then, Velvet has overworked herself under the physical burden of forming a pact with a seraph, she didn't rest but proceed her plan, until the time she can't sustain, it is already over limit when Velvet chose to take action after she formed a pact with Eleanor, the sub-effect of the pact forming was causing burden to Velvet, yet she still stood and proceeded the order of Tartarus. At the moment Velvet can’t sustain herself in the fight with Sorey, Tartarus controlled her body by force and forcibly let her body act under the burden to seriously injured Sorey. Then she hellionized and never got a chance to rest. As a result, she is in a coma after purified by Sorey, now she gets the chance to rest, to sleep.
It has been 3 days, they all worrying if Velvet is not going to wake up, so they all join together to discuss a way to wake her in dinner.
Most of the members of the team are seraphim, they work together to cook dinner while using some foods bought from Magiland.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0kfemUvG5
“She still not awakes.” Eleanor sighed in the dinner conference, it seems that the great dinner doesn’t cheer her up.
There was a similar experience in the past that Velvet slept for 3 days after she ate Oscar and Teresa, according to Velvet, it is just she ate too much at once, but that is not true at all. At the moment after she accidentally killed Oscar before his sister's very own eyes, then she lost her mind and just killed Teresa then, she recognized her sin, she thought she became the one she hated the most in the way of avenging. There is no way to run away from it and Velvet carried all her sins to force herself continuing it at that time, her body temporary collapsed for the sudden physical and emotional burden at that time, just like this situation.
“She will awake.” Maotelus ensured Eleanor, he was the one accompanied beside Velvet when she was lying on the bed for 3 days at that time, he knows how it feels.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaRsfj576O
And there are two more people that always accompanied beside Velvet when she is still in a coma now.
“Yeah, we brought her back from a hellion status, I believe things are gonna be alright from now on,” Sorey said to cheer up Eleanor.
“Let’s together to bring up some ideas to wake her, for example…..” Lailah suggested and bring up the topic.
“For example?” Now Mikleo is curious about the method.
Lailah then started to tell a story: “Have you heard a story name ‘Sleeping beauty’? Once upon a time, there is a girl, on her birthday, she received a blessing with a curse. An evil fairy told that the girl will grow in grace and beauty, but die before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday in a situation that she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Luckily, after the evil fairy left, another fairy weakens the curse that the girl will fall into a deep slumber instead of dying, and a true love’s kiss will be the only solution. The girl’s parent does all kind of things to avoid the worst result so they sent the girl to live in the forest fairies, yet the girl still falls into a deep slumber. The girl is truly beautiful and charm, a handsome prince passing the forest get attracted and fell in love immediately. He kisses the girl and the girl awakens from the deep slumber. Happy forever!”
“Hehe…..That’s a strange direction of topic…..” Sorey mumbled.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT60puxX6SK
Eleanor thought Lailah has a ‘romantic mindset’: “Lailah you always know about this kind of thing…..”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcLZJdxlAd
Zaveid: “Heh….A true love’s kiss can be given by a prince just passing by.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4pVEOcFrC
Mikleo: “Wait, doesn’t the curse be too specific that to curse her die in such a specific situation, and it needed to wait until a 16-year old birthday to be effective, does it?”
Edna teased and told the version she heard without feeling: “ Let’s not mention whether our pure Shepherd can do this act. I heard that the story has an original version. The slumber of the girl is a prediction and what wakes her is the rape of the King, she even born two children for the king. Her children sucked the toxin in her fingers so the sleeping toxins are taken away and she is thus awakened. The girl is then married by the King, the queen hates the girl and she wanted her to disappear. The queen planned to murder the girl but it is not successful and she uses her life to pay the 'price' for that. So the girl live with her newly formed family peacefully and happily, happy forever~”
“ Excuse me? Happy forever?!” The story is too ridiculous to Mikleo, it is hard to understand a woman feeling happy to a family formed from raping her.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2ypFlGI8C
Eleanor: “ That is unacceptable. These two versions are too different! Where did you get to know about it, Lailah?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQjRgEHFMC
“ I don't know the story will be ….this way in the ‘original’, I just watched ‘Sleeping Beauty’ from Disney. Surprise me that you know detail about it, Edna.” Lailah seems really shocked by Edna’s version.
“Just a book from my brother.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYD8FZuAKPC
(*proclaim: this is not an advertisement for Disney xdd)
Mikleo chuckled: “In either way, Sorey will not be able to perform such act.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ50SxSVkt
Sorey: “Yeah, I can’t perform this without formal permission…….”
Zaveid: “Nah, there will always be a moment that you want to kiss someone so much that you want to do it without permission.”
“ Please do not teach some strange knowledge to our pure Sorey, Zaveid.” Lailah smiled simply, and Zaveid felt the danger by this. “Well, well…..”
The dinner ended with the strange topics around, when Sorey goes to visit the one who supposes in the bed, the person is not there. Velvet disappeared in the room, Sorey is surprised that Velvet wakes, more shocked that the person left the room. To think of the actual status of Velvet, worry raised to urge Sorey he goes asking for assistance from others and find Velvet immediately after seeing the empty room.
-------------------
Things are strange, they always happen when you don’t expect it to happen like they don't know the girl just woke up when they were not there.
‘Where am I’18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLLlZQBMmz
It is a completely strange place to see for a person just waking, it is not normal that to wakes in a typical room that natural cool wind may arrive--there are windows and there is furniture, something can't be seen in Tartarus's cell.
It is a room on the seventh floor above the ground. Velvet grabs the edges of the window frames, extends out her body to observe. She could somehow see the appearance of the building as he is staying through the window. The appearance is showing it is one of the ancient buildings existing in the world, there are parts extended out from the wall as decorations or structural components with the engraved pattern on it. Seeing through the window, the snow-covered mountainside comes into sight, she believes there is a certain height above the sea. It is a brilliant sight of view, yet it becomes boring to Velvet, she can’t connect with it, and she will go crazy with the emptiness she holds.
Looks around the room, there is a vanity and a dresser in the room seems like a simple empty bedroom. Through the mirror, she sees herself, she finds that the clothes she is wearing is no longer her old clothing but loose clothing, like the clothes she once wore in the clinic, her aluminum arm exposed as her bandage is unwound. However, she neither possesses memory of climbing a mountain herself, nor the memory of changing the clothes, she lost the memory when she was a mindless beast as a hellion, not to mention the fight to take back the control of her body, Just as Seres said, she will remember nothing about it, no matter how hard she fought. The only conclusion to get is that someone takes her here and changed her clothes. Without even knowing why she is here now, the hellionization deprived her of memory, sins and good deed, also someone she wanted to protect. It may be sort of salvation for someone, but not her case.
There’s a wheyface in the mirror, it looks horrible, and Velvet temporarily can relate nothing to it. She looks into the emptiness and sadness in her eyes in the mirror, not only indicating the emptiness in her memory, but also emptiness in her heart, she can’t recall something precious and determined.
What makes Velvet terrified is that there is another woman in the mirror, she hasn’t noticed there is another person in the room.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEBiMFvfzR
“Why are you……” She looks back, there is no one.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc8TKoAMls
Yet when she looks into the mirror again, the woman is there, just next to her, and she just knows she is a person that impossible to exist here, cause the woman--Teresa was killed by her a long time ago.
“Don’t you tried to forget what you’ve done.” ‘Teresa’ stated, coldly stare into the depths in Velvet’s eyes.
The sentence reminds ensured Velvet for something she forgot, something can’t disappear so easily still exist somewhere in her mind. Through it’s blank, the emptiness never stops to show up, it feels powerless when seeing the hands hold nothing, or they never hold anything. There is a reason she feels she is not reconciled to something.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NOhbOtysE
Dry wind strokes the nerves lightly, freeze signal hints Velvet to be cautious, it is not the time to stay and observe the room as she doesn’t know whether the person is her enemy and when will he arrive.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyXGSuQ6yo
In either way, she decided to escape from this place.
Ignoring the presence of ‘Teresa’, she turned open the door and started to explore the place.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMEWNJneJb
Walking through the long corridor linking the room to the staircase, Velvet sees another one standing at the end of the corridor.
“There is no way for you to go.” ‘Shigure’ said while leaning on the wall of the arch at the end of the corridor.
Velvet still try to continue passing him without looking at him, he has no action, since he is just an illusion, but then another illusion appears on the way.
“No matter how many times, we will stand against you.” ‘Oscar’ said just as he has said in Velvet’s dream a long time ago.
“............I know.” Velvet wondered why is she seeing ‘things’, who is casting those illusions, or it is the reflection from herself.
Walking to the end and the top of the stairway, she opened the door. This is the roof and it is connecting to the cliff. Velvet can have the full view of the surrounding on the rooftop, she could hold the information of the place more effectively. It is an abandoned forest surrounded the district, following by barren land. There is nothing that needs to keep in mind in the near district but the farther content--Velvet sees the ruined Ladylake, the iconic tower has fallen, she could immediately recall the disaster happened there, remind her to remember the sins.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKHod2Q8nm
“Sinful daemon, you shall not exist and you shall not be forgiven.” ‘Melchior’ appears next to Velvet, said coldly.
She has recalled the feeling at that time again. That's right, she destroyed villages and towns destroyed, for a rightful reason, she thought it should be rightful, yet the result turned out bad to her. Searching the memory of the last moment, she remembers the horrible things, for she is forced to commit the crime, for she hurt and 'killed' the person to save. To think such a way, a feeling of frustration raises from the bottom of the heart.
That may be her deserved fate, hurting others can’t protect anyone, for one who has nothing can’t protect anything. Tartarus said, she is just like a cursed calamity, Velvet thinks it is right, that’s why she became a hellion and her thought is remaining unchanged even after purified. After all, she lost some much, all the one being close to her passed away one by one and the thought is heavy enough to raise her despair whenever she recalls it again, the feeling still exists here to recall her guilty.
The reason to escape from the room only a simple survival instinct, but it is unnecessary to run away, instead, to wait for the punishment arrives.
Ah, now she aware that she is waiting for an appropriate punishment.
The wind lightly caresses Velvet with a frozen breeze, reminds her of the attitude of the place. Looking below the abyss covered by icy smog, the mysterious caress of death is calling her just like once she heard in her nightmare. If death is the appropriate punishment, she would gladly take it, since there is nothing left to be done or undone, nothing left. No matter how many things she has achieved, she still possesses the guilty to live. The taken lives are countless and those corpses may nourish a whole forest. She is thinking that if she was not there, Sorey would not have met the trouble, he would not be hurt and killed by her. He should be the one to live. Memorizing the last cursed words of Tartarus, Velvet still thought they are right-- she is just like a cursed existence, everyone died but she lived, that should be wrong.
The purification flame may undo the curse of hellionization but it does not possess the power to change the thought. To bring a person on the right track need people in the surrounding, a human can’t live alone. The end of forever solitary has written in history with the sacrifice of the time of Sorey. He knew about that, maybe this also a reason he can't leave Velvet alone, while Velvet now urges for the fate of death. She doesn't remember the words and determination when she fought Tartarus to take back her body, but the conclusion to get is still the same -- at least to choose the end herself and 'death' is the end for both punishment and relief.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT54wju1nN
Therefore she broke the metal collar when her little determination still exists to resist Tartarus even if she knew it will cause an explosion of the bomb attached to the collar. She has accepted death already at that time, never thought of the possibility to live. The mental damage caused so great to be healed that easily by just purification flame.
Looking down to see the silent lonely abyss, it is like the entry of hell, where she thought to be home.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp5vlrqgxZ
Two steps from hell, a familiar voice stopped her from stepping forward, she turned.
"VELVET, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The sound mixed with the harsh breath, the person must run all the way to get here. Right, to know a person has just got back from hell and be healed from the serious wound and fell down for a long time, how could a friend not be worrying? To see a friend in such a dangerous position at the edge of a cliff, Sorey worries the worst will happen, he shouted out desperately to stop the person there.
“S….Sorey?” Velvet turned her head, looked at the boy unbelievably. She wonders if he is only an illusion, she thought the boy should be died, should be killed by her hand. With such thought and the shock by meeting the boy there, her body refuses to accept it, persistently to perceive herself as a monster belongs to the hell. She steps tottering backward, stepping on the air.
The next moment, she would fell down the cliff, but she doesn’t. Her left arm is caught by someone, so she is hanging in the air.
“V….Velvet! Got you.”
“You….You are real.” Velvet hesitantly stated to ensure when she feels the hand catching her is solid.
“Of course I am real, now give me another hand,” Sorey said and tried to lend another hand to Velvet, while he is also using the hand as supporting, but it is too hard to do that. However, Sorey’s hand is not Velvet looking in focus, she is looking at the clothes Sorey wearing. After seeing that, Velvet depressed again. The chest part is torn open, she can see the scar with scab formed on the past wound on the chest through the slit of the blue shirt. Velvet knew all things that happened are real, although Sorey doesn’t die, she can’t forgive herself for that.
“.....No, let me go……….. I don't ….deserve to live.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQi8qRfM0e
“.......Why would you say this again? ….You have the right to live, just as I told you once, and you promised me to live.” Sorey is worried when he hears that, his worry becomes true. Now he is worrying how bad the situation comes, he tried to persuade her once more.
“.....I have never agreed to the promise.” What a tricky answer to be heard but Sorey doesn’t have the time to comment that. Indeed, she was silent at that time, Sorey recalled, so really Velvet has not agreed to live on at that time. That’s one thing Sorey hates himself to has the guess correct.
“I hate to make a promise that I am not sure to achieve. I tried to live, but it has all been wrong, I should die.” There is no will of life in her eyes and Sorey is scared for the one before he can’t be saved even after purified. He will try to help her no matter what, he promised to himself that he will save this person.
“Why would you say that?” His voice cracking, he underestimated the case, it is farther than severe. He wants to change her negative comment on herself.
“Why would you ask about that after being hurt by me seriously, you nearly dead.”
“It’s not--”
“Things don’t change along time. I am still a Lord of Calamity, I have killed innocent people, even my friend...Niko.” Velvet looked away from Sorey when she sees another person appeared next to him.
“Velvet, why would you do that? I thought we were a friend. We were best friends!” The ‘Niko’ appeared as an illusion be seen only by Velvet asked. It has always been a question to Velvet to the action that day.
“Niko...I didn't mean to...I don't know you turned...I am sorry.” Velvet tried to explain but that is not even an explanation to persuade herself.
“Sorry won't do a thing! You killed that smoothly, without any hesitation! Really, the name of Lord of Calamity suits you well.” ‘Niko’ swore what Velvet constantly blaming herself whenever she thought of that incident.
“.....Velvet, who are you talking to?” Sorey worried when he sees Velvet is not talking to him while looking at his direction.
“I am Sorry....truly ....I....” Velvet murmured while looking down.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzcx8r3mvL
“There is only one way I will forgive you.” Velvet gains hope and raise her head to look at Niko again when she heard the line from ‘Niko’.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bZ0m4IXce
“Die.” ‘Niko’ smiled coldly. Of course, the true Niko won’t say it this way, yet now it becomes the line persuading Velvet her death is the only solution for all the things she has done.
“...Of course, that’s the only way......Sure. I will, now, go die.” Velvet used her right arm to pull herself away from Sorey.
“.........Velvet! What are you doing?! Stop!” Sorey is perplexed when he feels Velvet is pulling herself away from him, he tried to pull back while using his left hand grabbing the edge of the cliff.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnpaxbhYjs
“I will go to die now. Let me go.” Velvet is perplexed that Sorey is still catching her arm tightly, doesn’t let her go and falls down.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudx90HHagL
“No, never! I am not gonna let you go! …..Remember our days in the village! I want to live with you!” Sorey has no idea how ambiguous those words are, he tried to raise Velvet’s mind to live, but the words seem not even hit her a bit.
“You had no idea. I must go to die. I have destroyed that village, mercilessly. Now, let a monster like me die!” Velvet scolded for not letting her die.
“No! I refuse to let you die! You are human, you are just another normal human to me! You are not the Lord of Calamity!” Sorey urged Edna to find Eleanor to help him in his mind while persuading Velvet.
Velvet thought of Tartarus's word to her that acknowledge her to be a monster.
“You know none of my sins! I am a monster with a tainted soul. I will bring trouble to the surrounding. Let me go before I bring you more pain.” Velvet said while losing her hope in eyes.
“.......I know, all the things, I heard it from Maotelus. Sorry to tell you that late.” It seems that none of the lines works, Sorey decided to tell the truth with trepidation.
“......You know.....He told you.....Why then?” Velvet remains silent for a while, looking at Sorey unbelievably, not for the fact that he is hiding but for how he treats her after knowing things all along.
“I want to save you, you deserve a second chance!” Feeling there may be a chance, Sorey continued.
“No, I deserve to die, I have done the same thing again in this second chance…... I only bring pain, death, despair, and misfortune to the surroundings…That’s the only way to calm the soul I killed, for all the sin I have committed….so, don’t interfere..... I cannot be saved, so set me free. ” Velvet said as she smiled with ever a peaceful smile, yet those words are filled with sadness and cruelty.
“Don't smile for such a cruel thing! Interfere? What’s that supposed to mean? I am determined to save you! I will accept all your sins! Now take your chance to live. Give me your other hand!” Sorey shouted and tried hard to extend his other hand to Velvet.
“I cannot embrace the kindness that you give... I don't deserve.....” Velvet continued pulling herself away from Sorey, her body swings in the air.
“No....please....!” Sorey tried to hold and pull back Velvet, it becomes difficult when Velvet constantly resisting to be pulled up.
Suddenly, a burst of the door sound breaks the conversation.
“Velvet......WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Eleanor is shocked when she saw the situation. Although she has heard from Edna, she still feels terrified to see. She aware of Velvet is releasing malevolence there, but she still immediately approached and pull Velvet with her hand, still, this is not enough to pull Velvet up, as long as she holds her another hand to pull away herself.
“....Good to see you alive, Eleanor....” Velvet is glad that her malevolence that time didn't turn Eleanor into a dragon.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pDp1jgCjr
“It is not the time to say such words! Give us another hand!” Eleanor is holding Velvet’s hand while tolerating the pain brought by malevolence.
“No...I have to die...I will bring you pain......I can't control my malevolence. It would only hurt you. Now, let me go.” Velvet sees her malevolence are absorbed into Eleanor's hand, although Eleanor tried to maintain an expression as if it is normal, she seems painful to Velvet.
“The hell I am going to let you go! I have been waiting for you for nearly a thousand years! I am not let you go die like this!” Eleanor stated with anger. In the last battle, she is blaming herself to let her alone that time and she can’t stand aside this time, she has always regretted that she was not able to save or help Velvet when she was a human, so she can’t let herself to be regret again, she can't let herself to stand aside again this time.
“Thousand years.....Sorry. I didn't mean to restrict you like that, you supposed to be free after you died.......Maybe I should not give you such a selfish request.”
Unfortunately, Eleanor's word is not going to stop Velvet self-hatred, her persistence of self-blaming is too strong, now she is growing more malevolence.
“No! I do it because I want to...stop putting yourself like that! Stop shouldering everything yourself!” Eleanor shouted, tried to call her back. Velvet is still the same one she knew and she hates that now, such a pessimistic mindset with such persistence! She hoped that she can listen to them at this moment.
“You are the victim all along, why don’t you see it? Why won’t you feel angry about the one who makes you like that?” Tears fall from Eleanor’s eyes, she begs Velvet to feel angry about it, all the things, Velvet has the right, she hopes Velvet to see it.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcXHxX7lX6
Yet Velvet doesn’t listen to that, stubbornly staying in the corner of the mind.
“........ You two are both hurt by me. Sorey, the wounds are going to be torn open. Eleanor, my malevolence is hurting you, so let me go. I don't want to further hurt you guys.” Velvet answered with a trembling voice.
“....Shut up!!” Sorey shouted with anger, he is done with this self-abandoning idiot who continued to urge them to let her die, he realized their words are not reaching the idiot if they keep the conversation that way.
Both Velvet and Eleanor are shocked by his reaction. Sorey is not that easy to show his anger, but this time, he is angry at Velvet’s self abandoning. The release of malevolence slowed down by the shock.
“You don't understand...You just stopped listening……..You think going to die will solve everything? Well, it won’t! It won’t solve a thing! Do you really want to die that badly? Maybe you are, but we will be sad, I will be sad. I don’t want you to die!”
“......”
“Maybe we know only for a short time, but Edna and I truly care about you, we still want to travel with you. Not to mentions Maotelus and Eleanor, they have been waiting for 1500 years. Do you think we want you to die? After we fight so hard to bring you back from the hellion? Do you think we will be fine with your death? No, we can't take it! If you died, it would only hurt us more! Because you are very important!” Sorey needs the idiot to understand she will hurt them deeply if she is dead.
“......” Velvet widened her eyes when she heard they cared for her.
“I have said that I will accept all your sin, I don't care about what you did and I mean it. I will be sad if you die.”
“You may have a bad temper, solve by hook or by crook and you act like you don't care. But you also kind, strong, tender like a sister.”
“You saved the world once so I may live with free will in my time. You let us have Maotelus as the Empyrean so we have the hope.”
“You comforted me from guilty when I was barely a stranger to you. You aid me in work even if you may have doubted my identity. You saved me several times in the battle and you gave me a birthday. All these small clips of memories add together to be my precious memories.”
“That's why I care about you, Velvet! I will not let you go and I am not forgiving myself if I let you fall and let you do such a stupid thing! I will fall with you if this can save you. I will not let you fall in despair. I will be your light if you need, so live for me, for everyone who cares about you!” Sorey said while his image is overlapping with Laphicet in Velvet’s mind, Laphicet had said something similar to hold her back in that time, yet she forgot about that because of the despair and sadness.
Velvet can't response and her eyes keep wide open when she heard, the release of malevolence gradually stopped. She has forgotten, there is someone who cares about her. She has forgotten how painful she was when Artorius killed and sacrificed her brother. She has never found her meaning of life since she woke in this age, but everyone who cares about her tells her to live. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. If she dies, she will truly hurt her friends. That is probably the reason of the painful expression of Eleanor, it is not because of the effect of malevolence, because she hates to let her die like this, she hates that she can’t help her in every important moment.
Something ignites again inside her heart, whether the anger to Tartarus or the desire to live. She sees the light from Sorey's eyes, she is chasing his eyes, for the dreams and hopes he believed, for the firmness, he holds as a Shepherd. She doesn't want the boy to lose the light, and she doesn't want him to be upset by her death. If he is trying to say he wants to live with her, she will try again. If there are people be upset by her death, she will try to live for them. She will try to find her value again.
She fully trusts Sorey now, feels like she can tell him about all the truth now even when he already has known it.
He is the light and she is the shadow. If he let the shadow standing behind him, then she will follow behind, like the shadow chasing the light, always by his side. She believes he will get the right way, and she will follow him to start her journey of redemption.
Eleanor agrees with Sorey’s word in her mind, and she sees there’s a chance, so she keeps silent but only holding Velvet’s hand.
Finally, stubborn Velvet tried to extend her other hand to catch Eleanor’s and Sorey's hand, it is rather hard to extend her arm to catch when she doesn't have any energy. Sorey gladly sees the change, he extends his body and arm to catch Velvet, but then Sorey has extended his body too much. Now he lost the balance and fall down with her, yet still holding her tightly. The weight is too heavy to hold by Eleanor, she released the hand at the moment but wanted to jump to catch them but she is pulled back by a great force. It is Edna.
“Why are you stopping me, Edna?! Don't you care about her?!”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm98gGSEh8R
“I care, I want to stay a little longer with her, but it is not my character to do something like Sorey does. Don't worry, we have our friends stand by on the ground.” Edna smiled while looking down, everything is prepared.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OpVLlJjZ3
---------------------------------------------18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGwUoCokCB
When she wanted to die, she is desperately caught, when she wants to live, she can't catch the chance. Maybe this is what we call fate.
At the moment of falling, Velvet Crowe relieved and lost her consciousness for a moment. Maybe this is the out-of-body experience.
“You self-absorbed idiot....not yet.” another familiar voiced appears, this one is rather nostalgic to Velvet.
“........?!” She turned her head and see a blond with black hood comes at her.
“The time hasn't come to you yet.” The man took off his hood and shows his face.
“...Eizen!”
“....ah, Velvet, we have been missing for a long time, but I am not very happy to see you here,” Eizen said with a little disapproval.
“Why?”
“Did you ask? Isn't that obvious? You haven't lived long enough. You haven't experienced the things as a human at all, isn't it?” Eizen perplexed, although he won't call himself a long-life seraph, he has experienced various experience before death, but his dear friend has only lived 16 years as a human before she went sacrificing herself. Even for a bad guy, he wishes his friend goes to live for herself again.
“There is nothing I am interested in the world. Nothing to care." Velvet said.
“Oh?......you surely too care about your little brother and you forget about yourself,” Eizen smirked, even the revenge was started for her little brother, he knows his friend really seldom notices herself. When her brother had gone, she thought that there is nothing in this world that deserve to care and love. Eizen has observed Velvet for a certain period, he has hoped that she will notice there is still something or someone she likes, she cares, but she doesn't notice it in the end.
“I don't want to be judged by you.” to think that Eizen also thinks of his little sister a lot, Velvet doesn't think he is fit for saying this statement.
“Heh, right, but there are things I know you like and care in the world, not like what you say.”
“What is it?”
"It is meaningless if I say the answer, you should find it out for yourself."
“........”
“ and I say, your life has just started, there are still so many things you need to learn and experience, like this…...” Eizen pulls her face near, so near that she can feel his breath. Velvet gaped and shocked, not knowing what Eizen will do in the next moment.
“Huh...I will let the living to teach you.” Seeing such a pure maiden reaction, Eizen smirked and released the girl.
“.....but, I already dead.”
“So I told you now isn't the time yet.”
“...?”
“You are not understanding, right.....? Ay, I will say I am being the reaper here and I know how long time you still have, so don't rush to see me here.”
“...eh?”
“Just that you know, you are living, and you have my blessing.”
“....That's too bad.” Velvet laughed.
“I can't help, it is an unconscious blessing to those I care about. So, work hard to live.”
“Yeah, I will, I suppose nothing has changed.” Her life is always harsh with that misfortune beside, a ‘blessing of misfortune’ surely nothing to her.
“I will be here, always watching.”
“Sound like a stalker.”
“...Well, because I like you.”
“...I like you too...but...”
“It is fine, after all, I died, so it is fair for you to like the others. Don't think that you will bring misfortune as I did. You should feel free to like the others. Well, maybe there already someone.”
“....who do you mean?”
“.... it is nothing to be told by a dead like me. I will pass it to those who are living.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6V9463cNS
“eh???”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWRJPeIkqX
“Anyway, take care, Velvet. Don't let me meet you so quickly here again.”
“...Well, it is really good to see you again, Eizen.”
“Yeah, take care of my sister for me.”
“Well, I will never let her become a dragon like you as long as I live.”
“Hah, you dare said that...and there is no way for other men to touch her.”
“...This is what you should let go, such an obsessive love...”
“and that's me...Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Come back to reality and she found herself not dead but lying on something hard but warm. A shadow cast on her with shining. It is the shining scales.
“Just as I told you I'll protect you for my own sake.” The dragon said with a tender voice carried Sorey and her to the rooftop again.
She can see Zaveid, Lailah and Mikleo prepared the artes to prevent the tragedy in below.
Maotelus transported her to the rooftop and put her down Edna and Eleanor are waiting there.
“You idiot! Welcome back!” Eleanor is the first one rushed to hug and cried.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI2AnjigTj
“Welcome back.” Sorey and Edna hugged Velvet.
“....I...am back…..I am...sorry...I....am.......sorry.......sorry……..I….”
Why does she cry? Glad, sadness, touched or all of them. Tears start running out when Velvet tries to say a sentence, the sentence is broken into parts when the feeling raising up. Velvet repeatedly apologized and buried her face into their chest, eventually start sobbing. Velvet doesn’t plan to cry but her body becomes too honest after all the things just happened, she would have regretted if she had fallen down there. She is sorry that she forgets about her friends here. She lost words to say, apologies is the only thing she remembers to do. This time she is not crying because of feeling touched or nostalgia, this time she cried for the sadness she bears, all the negative feelings and pressure relieved at the moment she cries it out. Everyone embraced her and say nothing while comforting her by smoothing her back.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrf8uNTVTr
Velvet kept on crying while apologizing, her body trembling, finally, she gets tired and slept again.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XtTyVzdfQ
-------------------
Velvet wakes in her previous room again, she unconsciously touched her neck and she finds no metal collar there anymore.
“Finding something?” Sorey's voice reminded her to notice his existence. He picked up the broken metal collar to show her.
“.........” Velvet took the broken piece and see it finally broke, she is free.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3khmOZYtf
“...So worried that I am gonna commit suicide again?” She smirked.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrsRjUsoRb
“Yes, and I wonder if you need anything after awake.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEraTtfilY
“Nothing really.” The broken piece is already enough for her.
“......Sorry, it is all my fault......I am unable to do anything apart from destroying.” Velvet saw and touched the bandage on Sorey's chest. That is the position she hurt him fatally.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRs8CqPaanF
“No, I am here, you saved me. I know you did all the things to save Edna and me. Then I will bear the sin with you.” Sorey took Velvet's hands.
“...You don't have to.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ob4c5rLfq
“....I want to.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKu8VRqEqy
“.........”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIJNdePgG2
“And I want to know your past.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GaUCrCr9D
“Why would you want to know it from me when Phi told you all the things?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGJJbdyVwI
“He told me and I watched some of them when I was purifying you. Stills, I want to hear from you.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXCRF4WJzT
“......It is a long story....and a sinful story. Even so, are you willing to listen?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXiisRchP7
“Yes, I want to know you better. I don't mind spending time. Even if I spend more time, it is worth it. I am here for you all day.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAmP7jglVb
“......Well, when you put it like that, how could I refuse?” Velvet can't resist the request from Sorey, and she feels she is ready to tell him now.
So she said, about all things happened in the past, from her original life to prison life and then her journey of revenge. She confessed her sin that she ate her reincarnated sister, for the power to revenge, that she burn towns and turned the whole village overflow in malevolence while rescuing the therion, that she killed one's brother accidentally in front of one's sister, that she kills the exorcist to sacrifice their soul to wake 4 Empyreans and what she did after the Scarlet night in that time.
“If you hate me because of that, I won't mind...I am such a repeater who kills many people, for selfish reasons.” She downed her face while waiting for the answer.
“No, I won't hate you for this, even if everything you say may be unforgivable. For a human being, making mistakes and slaved by emotion are normal things. But I know you, if you are sinful, just change it, I will stay with you. I think you deserve a chance again, please give yourself a chance to live again.”
“...b...but---”
“It can be saved, as long as you want to save.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqQqUuJ6QD
“.....Thank...you...I thought you'd hate me.” Actually, she is not fine when her friends hate her, so she hides and tries to be a good person. She tried to hide all things from Sorey when traveling, but it is relieved after the confession and she is glad that Sorey doesn’t hate her.
“I have said I accept your sin, I forgive you.” Sorey knew she did it to survive somehow. This is normal for a human to want to live, this is an unseparated part of her.
That’s the day, Velvet truly acknowledged herself and starts to live again after awakening, with the accompany of her friends there.
----------------------------------------------TBC----------------------------------------------------
A.N.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl18P8xTFIG
Sorry, so late again! Finally, Velvet is back!! It seems kind of forced plot so I try my best to relieve the feeling of forced……... I planned this part for a long time( just as long as the part I made Velvet despair) but it is difficult to write it well, so I strongly referred from another story(' The Journey to Redemption is the one referred strongly). Well, I think at least Velvet’s problem is solved now.
Still, not sure if Sorey and Velvet now are in love or friends only. ( I admit I want to write Sorey/Velvet somehow, while at the same time I am weak at building relationship …….. so I try to build the relationship to the extent at least as deep as the old traveling companion).
Eizen: so you are pushing all responsibility of Velvet's bad luck on me?18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrRJiGt606
Me: no, it is my fault indeed, but it would be a good reason to remind your existence….in name of love18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnxih41opq
Eizen:(gazed with anger)18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbmhxzSM4A
Me: (Gaped)......sorry!.
and then Add to home screen.