Chapter: 273
A massive crowd flooded the streets.
The barrier that had protected them was gone, and recently, miasma had spread to the outskirts of the city due to the witch’s invasion, creating a situation where they had no choice but to be terrified. Yet, despite everything, so many people.
The reason so many had come out onto the streets, overcoming their fears, was because today was the day to bid farewell to those who had sacrificed themselves to protect them from the Witch of Gluttony.
“Well then, we will set off now.”
At that moment, a procession carrying a coffin passed through the street lined with people.
The procession began from the outskirts of the city, with its destination being the crematorium in the city center.
“Ugh, sob…”
“Please, rest peacefully there…”
The return procession led by the families and acquaintances of the heroes who had fallen in battle to protect the city held a meaning of bringing them to a resting place.
As they watched the procession, people mourned for those who had gone, shedding tears or standing in silence to pay their respects.
“…We have arrived.”
The procession with the coffin continued through the lined street for quite a while and finally reached the crematorium.
The reason the destination was the crematorium was that they had limited land, so all funerals were carried out through cremation.
Though some found it hard to endure burning their family’s bodies, today, for better or worse, there was no issue with that.
As a result of confronting the Witch of Gluttony, all flesh had been transformed into miasma and scattered; therefore, not a single hair remained of the deceased for their families to mourn.
So what filled the coffin now were not bodies but the belongings of the deceased.
And because of that, the atmosphere was even more solemn as the funeral proceeded.
The absence of the bodies indicated how fierce the battle had been, and the departed had sacrificed themselves to protect everyone despite knowing that.
The remaining ones had a duty to live their lives always remembering and not forgetting their sacrifice.
“Well then, we will begin the cremation.”
“Ah…”
Soon, the procedure for cremation began.
The families of the deceased, despite the coffin containing only belongings, found it hard to let go.
The moment they released their grip on the coffin was like feeling that their family would permanently leave their embrace.
But now it was time to let them go.
A funeral is not only for those who have passed but also a rite for the living.
The deceased would not return.
Accepting that fact was not easy, but the survivors, with tears in their eyes, tried to gather their hearts and let go of the coffin.
“Scarlet, the fire.”
“…Yes.”
The coffins were lined up on the ground in front of everyone, and Scarlet, who had fought alongside them in this battle, set the coffins ablaze.
As the coffins quietly began to be engulfed in flames, Mark Aegis, the head of Aegis Academy, began to recite a eulogy to honor them.
Natalia and Leon were Mark’s students who had graduated from the academy, and Eve was like family to him, which is why he was chosen to deliver the eulogy.
“Today, we gather to bid farewell to the heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect humanity.
They not only fought for humanity this time but devoted their whole lives to it,
And they left us as heroes until the very end.
We must always remember their sacrifice.”
Looking toward the left coffin of the three lined up in front, Mark said.
“Natalia Eloise was a remarkable hero.
She was a courageous hero who led the charge on the front lines like no other,
And she was a diligent captain who perfectly accomplished every mission entrusted to her.
Even in moments where she had to sacrifice her own life, she remained steadfast.
I remember…
When she was a student at the academy and unexpectedly became pregnant.
However, none of the teachers who watched her were overly worried.
They had faith that she would do well in any situation, given what they had seen of her.
And when I looked at Marin Eloise, who enrolled in the academy,
I realized that Natalia had succeeded both as a hero and as a parent by raising her daughter so excellently.
I’m confident that,
If everyone in the world could have put in as much effort as Natalia, the world would surely have become a much better place.”
From somewhere, a faint sniffle was heard.
It was the sound of Marin, Natalia’s daughter, struggling to hold back her tears.
With her eyes wide open, Marin stared directly at the burning coffin, trying to suppress her sobs.
Mark thought as he looked at the flames reflected in her eyes.
That determination to confront a reality that could be frightening resembled Natalia so much.
Though she had recently endured many hardships, seeing that gaze gave him assurance that she would overcome it.
Then Mark turned his attention to the coffin on the right and continued speaking.
“Leon Lionelle was a magnificent hero.
Those who knew him will remember.
Whenever trouble arose, he would rush to resolve it faster than anyone else.
He was truly the fastest hero in this world.
But he wasn’t always that fast from the start.
In the past, he was one of the less skilled students at the academy.
Having witnessed many students during my tenure as principal, I’ve seen some who became disheartened after facing the wall of talent.
But Leon was different.
He never gave up until he found his talent and eventually blossomed on his own without anyone’s help.
Of course, many will say that if he truly had no talent, he wouldn’t have become so strong, but I dare say
His true talent was his refusal to give up under any circumstances.
That spirit of persistence, that image of him standing back up against any wall he faced, is something we all should learn from.”
Mark paused and turned slightly to gaze at Leonor, who was quietly watching her father’s coffin ablaze.
Unlike others, who struggled to contain their grief, she appeared remarkably composed, accepting her father’s death.
She knew that Leon would prefer her to overcome and live with a smile rather than being sad.
Looking at her brought back memories of Leon saying when he lost his wife,
‘My wife entrusted me with our daughter. If I’m just grieving, I won’t have the face to see her again,’ and Mark’s eyes moistened for a moment.
But remembering that he still had others to honor, Mark composed his mind and spoke again.
Among the coffins lined up, he looked at the one for Eve that had yet to receive a eulogy.
“Eve was a teacher worthy of respect.
She was, she was…”
As Mark attempted to recite the eulogy for Eve, he suddenly had to pause.
He couldn’t hold back the flood of emotions, and the tears began to fall.
It was inevitable.
Eve was someone akin to family.
Catching his breath, Mark wiped his tears and continued with the eulogy.
Of course, wiping once wouldn’t stop the tears from flowing.
“She was the teacher of us all and our benefactor.
For many years, we have received her teachings and help.
She dedicated herself to humanity like no one else.
Even though she was a witch.”
Mark remembered.
When he heard about Eve’s secret from his father and inherited the contract with her.
At that time, Mark’s father had told him this:
‘She has done many things for humanity until now. So whatever she desires, try your best to fulfill it…’
Knowing all the secrets, Mark had cheerfully promised to do so.
He did not know that Eve wished to die.
To Mark, Eve had been someone he had regarded as family since childhood; naturally, he wished for her not to die.
However, after watching Eve closely for a long time, Mark could not stop her.
He could not plead for Eve to regain her strength as she slowly lost it, and sometimes suffered because he was, after all, the only one who knew her secret.
How could he stop Eve, who yearned for humanity but was aware that it was impossible, and who desired to die like a human at the very least, because of her identity as a witch?
So Mark intended to carry that sadness and secret alone until the day Eve died.
It just so happened that everyone came to know her secret.
“…You may not realize this. She longed to be human her whole life.
Having lived among humans and for humans her whole life, she wished more than anything to be one of them.”
There had been a time he attended a funeral of a renowned hero with her.
As he watched the countless people shedding tears and mourning, Mark noticed Eve with a strange expression.
Curious, he had asked her what she was thinking at that moment.
Eve had replied,
“Just… when I die someday… I wonder if people will cry for me like that. The fact that so many people mourn means you must have lived a good life… Haha, well, I don’t even know if I can die in the first place, but…”
With a hint of yearning, Eve answered with a slight smile, but Mark had sensed a bittersweet undertone hidden in her expression.
But now he felt like he understood why.
Eve might have thought that being commemorated as a human, even if she died, while masking her identity as a witch was a deception toward them.
However, what was reality, contrary to such worries?
Mark had witnessed while transporting Eve’s coffin.
Seeing numerous people in the streets shedding tears to honor her death.
Even when it was revealed that she was a witch, they mourned for her purely and innocently.
After the funeral, Eve’s name would be inscribed on a memorial dedicated to the fallen, alongside others.
Her name would be etched on a gravestone for humanity that shared their history.
And no one refused this.
Wasn’t that proof of the life she had lived?
“So perhaps, what I have seen of her is that she was more human than anyone else among us.
She sincerely taught her students, was always generous to others,
And until her final moments, she sacrificed herself for the sake of others.
She truly lived as a human and died as one.
So I will remember her not as a witch, but as a human being.
Because that is what she yearned for all her life.
And I hope that you all can do the same.”
Mark requested from the people.
Please remember Eve as a human being.
There was no response.
But a response wasn’t necessary.
The scene of everyone shedding tears while honoring her death was an answer in itself.
If you were to witness this, you would likely feel happiness.
So thought Mark, as he wished to convey this scene to her, murmuring softly.
“…Did you see it?
Your life was so beautiful that so many people mourned your death.
So now, please rest in peace.
Eve.
Born as a witch,
But died as a human.”
