Disciple of Immortal

「… Thus, I’m not lying when I told you that I hate humans. Or rather dislike, to be exact. I have no intention to leave this place, it would be better that way.」

Lunaire said so.

It was natural for her to dislike humans.

Although she put her life on the line to subjugate the Demon King for the sake of the people, the people she tried to save repaid her kindness and sacrifice with cruel betrayal. She was even rejected by her own mother just because she turned herself into an immortal being.

『The reason why I live in this place is because… I detest the humans who betrayed me.』

That was what Lunaire told me on the first day I met her.

Lunaire was very much aware of the consequences of using the forbidden magic to revive herself.

The four years’ worth of effort to revive her father was wasted and also in vain because she decided to accept her father’s death.

On top of that, she was a kind and gentle girl.

Thus, I was certain that she didn’t take revenge on her mother, and the people she saved for betraying her.

I mean if she really hated humans for real, she wouldn’t have treated me – the same kind of species, a human, who have betrayed her in the past – with such kindness.

But… since she still said that she was『Betrayed』 even after thousand years had passed since then, I’m sure that their betrayal left a huge trauma within her heart, even until now.

Thus she had no interest in leaving this place since she had no interest in the so-called humans themselves.

「… that’s why… I’m really happy when you treated me like a normal human despite knowing that I was a lich. Though the one and half months that I spent with you seem like nothing to an immortal being like me…. There’s no doubt that I’ve really enjoyed every single moment I’ve spent with you.」

Lunaire said so with a lonely smile on her beautiful face.

It was the first time I saw a smile on her seemingly eternally expressionless face.

「Master… P-Please, let me stay with you! Master, I likee you! I’ll stay by your side, forever! That’s why….」

Lunaire shook her head lightly, chewing her lips as if she tried her best to hold back her own feelings.

「I’m glad that you feel that way. But, you shouldn’t be staying in this place… Moreover, there’s nothing interesting in staying with the likes of me. I’m a lich, always enveloped by Hades’s Impurity. It’ll bring unimaginable pain to any human who touches it and kills them.」

…. Noble Mimic had told me that before.

For every living being all parts of the undead, be it their blood, their flesh, their mana, or even their soul was a deadly poison.

But my body moved on its own.

It was a bold act that was beyond my imagination, especially in normal circumstances.

But just for today, I couldn’t care less about such matters because this might be the last time I could see Lunaire.

I rushed over to Lunaire who had cast her eyes down and embraced her.

Despite her inhumanly strong power, her body was as delicate as snow.

A long time ago, she embarked on a mission that resulted in her own death, and even after her death, she was constantly on the run until she arrived in 《Cocytus》. She then obtained an unimaginable power.

That seemed like it was glorious and all but, to me,, she was a frail girl with a a huge trauma that occurred in her past.

「Eh, W-What are you doing! If you keep doing this, my Hades’s Impurity will….!」

Lunaire shouted those words in a flustered manner.

It felt like there are molten metals that were poured over my skin. Even breathing became extremely painful for me.

But, it was not like I couldn’t endure this level of pain.

The pain that I felt during my training was even more severe than this.

I put more power into my embrace.

Her skin was smooth and silky.

「Look, this level of pain… is nothing for me. This is thanks to your training, master.」

Lunaire looked at me with beet-red cheeks and a surprised look on her face.

I ignored my pain and showed her the brightest smile I could muster in my situation.

But… I guess I needed to become a little bit stronger.

In that way, the effect of her Hades’s Impurity could be abated even further.

「That’s why let me-!」

Lunaire smiled elegantly as she closed her eyes and then she returned my embrace as if to feel my body’s temperature.

「… Thank you very much, Kanata….」

「…. Master!」

And then, Lunaire pushed me away.

「EH…」

My body was easily blown away with just a light push.

My body fell and landed right at the bottom of the stairs.

I’ve no choice but to stabilize my posture and jump up with 《Short Gate》.

Or so I thought until I saw the magic circles forming in front of Lunaire.

Lunaire’s magic invoked even faster than mine.

「Time-Space Magic, 17th Rank 《Fracture》」

Something that resembled black roots was spread around the area beginning from the center of Lunaire’s magic circle.

Those black roots pierced the stairs, the pillars, and the floor.

In the next moment, the black roots shone and tore apart the entire area as it was pierced by them.

Her magic interrupted mine and dropped me along with a mountain of debris below the stairs.

Lunaire used another magic to float in the air.

「M-Master… Why did Y—!」

「Kanata… I like you too. But… that’s even more of a reason for me to let you go, to enjoy your life as a human.」

From between the rubbles of the stairs, I could see Lunaire’s tears.

「Enjoy your lifetime as a human… Because that’s something I could never hope for.」

Lunaire’s figure then vanished from that spot.

Although I was at loss for words when I heard her parting words that harmed the both of us, I lifted my face and shouted at the top of my lungs so that she could hear my voice.

「I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO RETURN TO THIS 《COCYTUS》! THAT’S WHY I’LL DO AS YOU SAY: TO LOOK AROUND THIS WORLD AND THEN!! AND THEN! I’LL COME BACK TO MEET YOU AGAIN, MAS-… NAY, I’LL BE BACK FOR YOU, LUNAIRE-SAN!」