Chapter 192: A True Confession
Quite a few people came to see how Zetto was doing.
From the instructors at the academy, to the headmaster, Juliut, to the board of trustees, Hubert, and the city’s residents, such as the Herald, Rombo and Ram.
Even Magredo the elementalist, whom he hadn’t seen in a very long time.
Chris, the Sword Saint, who laughed at Zetto’s refusal to let go of his sword and slapped him on the back.
Anthony and his daughter, Emilia, who was thankful for the miracle.
And even Deidros, who hadn’t come to the funeral because he couldn’t contain his laughter.
“…You’ve done some pretty reckless things, mortal. No…should I call you immortal now?”
Deidros joked as he crossed his arms and looked at Zetto.
“Haha, whatever I was, I’m not anymore.”
“Why didn’t you use all of its power? You could have gotten your arm back, your lost sight, everything…”
“Well… I guess I had no choice, but I have no regrets.”
“Hmm…”
Deidros cleared his throat and turned away.
“By the way, is it true that you’ve met the Lord? From what I hear, you’re being hailed as ‘The One who Returned from Paradise’…”
“It’s true. I didn’t expect that either.”
Zetto nodded in affirmation.
“…I wonder how you, who doesn’t have an ounce of divine power, managed to meet Heneryes…it’s a strange thing.”
“I don’t know, but she told me to break the ‘shackles.'”
Zetto shrugged, letting the words slip out without much thought.
“Shackles…?”
But Deidros couldn’t let that one slide so easily.
He had another point to make.
“……”
Deidros’ eyes narrowed as he stared at Zetto.
The last guest arrives in the infirmary.
“…You must be the Saint.”
Recognizing her face at the door, Deidros rose from his seat and bowed respectfully.
It was Bernice, the Saint of Innocence, who had come to visit Zetto.
Unlike the funeral, this was an official visit, and Bernice wore her trademark snow-white dress.
Surrounding her were several knights in silver armor.
“You have a visitor, was it…Thomas?”
Bernice said, remembering Deidros’ face.
“Yes, I am honored that you remember.”
“You must have been in the middle of a conversation.”
“No, we’ve just finished our conversation and I was about to head outside, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh, I see…”
“If you’ll excuse me, then.”
Deidros brushes past the saint and excuses himself. For the time being, his question was interrupted, but it was not a matter of great urgency.
“The blessings of Heneryes upon your future.”
Bernice blessed Deidros lightly, who willingly gave way, before turning her attention to Zetto.
“I’d like to speak with him in private, if that’s okay.”
“Then we’ll stay outside for a while.”
Templar Ines replied.
A moment later, Bernice entered the infirmary, shutting the door quietly behind her, and slowly approached Zetto.
“Saint…”
“…I’ve missed you, Zetto.”
***
“Are you feeling well…?”
“The medic says there’s nothing wrong.”
Zetto, lying in the hospital bed, was smiling.
Alas, I missed that smile.
I was happy.
It was like I had regained the happiness that had been stolen from me.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t help the bad taste in my mouth.
“It would have been better if you’d come back to me with your body intact…”
His arm did not return.
Neither did his distant eyes.
“It’s okay.”
There was no falsehood in his voice as he tried to smile.
He had no complaints and was speaking the truth.
“…I shouldn’t have said that.”
Just as he had lost the light of the world before, once again, he simply accepted it in silence.
He should have been grateful to be revived, but the human heart is so deceitful and ugly that it wants more.
“I am grateful. Thanks to the saint…”
Zetto smiled and thanked me.
“…I don’t have the power to bring people back to life, it’s all a miracle from the Lord.”
I told him the truth since I thought he should know.
Still, Zetto shook his head.
“No. If the Saint hadn’t been there, there wouldn’t have been a ‘miracle,’ I’m sure….”
The corners of my mouth twitched at the warm truth he spoke.
“I’m so… I’m glad.”
As I watched his gentle smile, I finally understood what the Lord meant.
Lord Heneryes had prepared this path for me.
Now that I had lost him I could see how much he meant to me.
The world was dark without him.
I wanted to be a beacon of light in his world, but I wasn’t. Instead he was the light of my world.
“…Zetto.”
“I’m listening, Saint.”
“There is something I must tell you.”
“Hmm…You mean about people coming to visit from the Holy Land? I’ve already heard about that.”
“No, I’m not here for business. Today’s visit is strictly personal.”
“Personal…?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean I’m not speaking to my knight as a saint.”
I wanted to tell him before it was too late.
“For now, will you call me by…name…?”
I had to tell him my ‘real’ name, the ‘truth’ I had been hiding.
“…Bernice.”
His voice was a little shaky from the unfamiliarity but it was enough for now.
“Zetto, you…… you…”
My lips didn’t quite form the words I was about to spit out, even though they weren’t false.
My face burned but it was a natural reaction as a woman not as the Saint.
It took courage but I finally said it.
“…I like you.”
I managed to get it out.
“I am very… I like you very much…”
With those words, I hung my head low since I couldn’t bring myself to face him.
…I had confessed.
My heart was racing and the heat in my face showed no sign of abating.
Any moment now, I would hear an answer.
I hesitated, wondering if I should cover my ears.
Even though I had already checked his mind before, I was afraid of hearing an unwanted answer.
The wait was short, no more than a few seconds but it felt like an eternity, so I finally gave in and spoke again.
“…I’m sure you’re surprised, all of a sudden…”
“Surprised… I mean, it was kind of surprising, but…”
I narrowed my eyes.
I wondered if I should have waited a little longer to tell him.
Maybe it was too one-sided.
All sorts of regrets flashed through my mind.
“…I didn’t hate it.”
I opened my eyes at the sound of his voice and Zetto was smiling broadly.
“I like Bernice very much, too.”
“…Really, is that true?”
I asked impatiently and Zetto smiled back.
“You can confirm it with your powers, can’t you?”
“Ah…”
“I like you, Bernice.”
And then his confession rang in my ears once more.
“……”
I clamped my mouth shut.
I already knew it was true.
I just couldn’t believe it, and I was unbelievably happy… I just wanted to hear it one more time.
***
“Well, I think it’s going pretty well.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Just trust me.”
Zetto took another bite of fruit and muttered something.
Rei and Geppeti visited Zetto at the hospital.
Rei had been asleep for some time now, lying on the bed cuddling Sheddie, while Geppeti and Zetto had climbed to the roof of the building to discuss the current situation in detail.
“…What was Lady Sierra’s reaction?”
“She didn’t say much, although the atmosphere was a bit scary…”
“…I guess you could say she’s fine.”
Geppeti let out a long sigh as she said that.
The only reason Sierra was able to stay still right now was because she had a tolerance I couldn’t even begin to imagine.
It had to be partly because she could see firsthand how much the others cared for me in this situation.
Sierra can’t do much about it, but even so, I wonder if she’s gone too far off the rails with the others.
I had expected some of this, but even so, I wondered if I had gotten ahead of myself.
Geppeti was worried about that.
“You couldn’t help it, they were all so upset so you had to make them happy…”
Zetto sighs, and Geppeti tries to tell him that, but that only makes it worse.
Eventually, Geppeti opened his mouth to explain.
“Lord Zetto…it’s good to pursue your happiness, but do you have any idea of the emotions that will follow your happiness?”
“Well…Isn’t it good to be happy?”
“…”
Geppeti shook her head.
She did know.
Perhaps even more so because it was the first emotion she felt.
“…The happier they are, the more ‘uneasy’ they’ll feel, because they’ve already lost… They’ve already lost once… The reason they’re happy, the thing that made them happy, is you, Zetto… You’ve already died once…”
Zetto lets out an “Ah…” as if he understands Geppeti’s explanation.
“It’s just that they’re happy, that’s the problem… right now, they look peaceful, like nothing’s going to happen… but…But sooner or later, they’ll realize.”
The current calm foreshadowed the storm that was to come and soon their love would turn sour.
Soon, their love would be transformed into an emotion called “obsession,” a mixture of anxiety and jealousy.
~End of Part 1~
TLN: Thank you everyone for your support.