Is That My Alter Ego

27 – Farewell

“Cough…cough…Ser…is.”

“Captain… it’s me..! Vice-Captain Seris..!”

“…Cough.”

Tightly-

Seris clutched the captain’s hand with a desperate heart, but the captain’s hand was already as cold as a block of ice.

Captain Venice kept coughing up blood-mixed phlegm, and the pool of blood beneath him grew larger and larger.

…No. I can’t let the captain die like this.

Is there any way… Ah!

“…Hans! My bag, get the return scroll, quick…! Time is of the essence!!”

In the bag she had thrown aside before the battle, there was a scroll for returning to Leria Village. Ever since the incident in Nephendes, she had always made sure to carry a scroll when going on a mission.

“…Kuhuk…. Vice-Captain..”

“…What are you doing?! Hurry up and bring it!!! This is an order!!”

“It’s no use…. It won’t work…”

However, Hans, despite her command, just sat there, shedding tears.

Thud-!

“…What are you doing now?! Hurry, we need to get the captain to the infirmary…!”

“Stop…. Let it be. Ser…cough. Vice-Captain.”

“…..What..”

Just as she was gripping Hans’ collar, looking ready to kill, the feeble voice of the captain reached her ears, and Seris let go of the collar.

“….Captain! If we get to Leria Village even a second sooner, you can be treated…!”

“….No. Cough… It can’t be like this.”

“What kind of nonsense is that!!”

“I will… Cough. Die in this place.”

What are you saying, Commander?

With this level of injury… If you endure just a little longer, teleport to a safe place using a scroll, and get quick treatment, you can survive.

“….That…”

“….It’s just because of this injury… Cough. No, even before this, my body… has already reached its limit.”

“………”

What are you trying to say now? Please… don’t say it.

In the face of the Commander’s despondent and resigned expression, there were piles of things to say, but his throat was blocked, and no sound came out.

“….Cerys… Vice Commander. I… will die soon. Cough!”

“…If you get treatment and take some rest…!”

“My body… I know it the best. Even if I get treated… I won’t be able to survive.”

“………No…”

No.

No no no no no no no no.

I won’t believe it. The Commander won’t… won’t leave me.

Just like always, come back to me and shine upon me by my side.

“….No, I won’t believe it..! Commander will surely… survive…!”

“….Sorry…. I think… about 30 minutes left…cough. That’s all the time remaining…”

“……..Ah.”

No, no. You can survive. The commander… can overcome this.

-Commander….

-…Sob..

-How can you leave us… like this..

“…………”

Looking around, everyone seemed to believe that the commander had no chance of survival.

The mercenaries were shedding tears, angry at their own helplessness, clenching their fists until they almost broke.

No… the commander must…

“……Com…mander..”

But Seris was finally forced to face the reality she had been denying. His faint voice, as if making a final judgement, and the way he looked at her, made her crumble.

She felt an emptiness in her heart as if a hole had been punctured, and tears flowed endlessly.

“…Everyone… cough. Come closer…”

As the commander’s voice grew weaker, the weeping mercenaries hurried to his side.

Trying to pull herself together at the commander’s call, she struggled to stop her tears.

Commander Venice weakly turned his head, looking at each of the gathered mercenaries’ faces.

As if he wanted to remember their faces in his final moments.

“….You all… have really… grown a lot. You’ve been through… so much.”

His warm encouragement, like that of a father, made her resolve crumble once again.

“No… Commander… I will take your place….”

Among them, Hans sat down, holding onto the limp body of Commander Venice, sobbing.

In the face of his desperate sorrow, the mercenaries could no longer hold back the tears they had tried so hard to suppress.

“….Sorry, Hans…. *cough*.”

“….Commander….”

Barely holding onto Hans’s hand, Commander Venice continued to speak.

“….You… as I’ve said before. You can become an outstanding commander. I’ve always believed in you.”

“I… I…!”

“….Even if I’m gone. Take good care of the Scar Mercenary Corps. *cough* Support Seris, the vice-commander, with great strength.”

Hans, unable to even respond to his words, knelt down, covering his face with sorrow.

“….Birong.”

*Sob*…. “Commander….”

“The food you made…. *cough, cough* was truly the best.”

“No… Commander..! You need to get up again… and eat more…”

“If you wish… you can leave the mercenary corps and become a chef. Find the path you desire.”

Even Birong, who always displayed a bright smile, crumbled at his words, shedding only tears.

To Birong, who had lost his father and cared for his family alone, Commander Venice had become a more reliable pillar than his father.

*Sniff*… *sob*…

Even after that, watching Commander Venice bless each mercenary one by one for their future, Seris sobbed.

…Really, because it seemed like he might truly leave. Because the time when she could no longer look at him, be by his side, was approaching after this.

Seris wanted to stop time, even if it meant selling her soul to the devil. It was more painful for her to see her light fading, her love leaving, than to have her heart torn apart.

“…Seris… Deputy Commander.”

However, time mercilessly continued to flow. Venice, the commander who addressed all the mercenaries, called out Seris’ name.

As time passed, his voice became much quieter than before, and his mana flickered like a dying ember.

“Commander… Please don’t leave… Please…”

“Seris… Is it true.”

His red eyes, always focused on the future, seemed clouded, making it difficult to perceive anything before him.

“…You… cough! Cough… were my most cherished member.”

“…It’s not… Please… Don’t leave me…”

“…Huh. Can’t you hear… me.”

“Commander?! Open your eyes!! Commander!!”

As if about to extinguish at any moment, his two eyes trembled uncontrollably. When Seris shook his body with all her strength, a faint flicker of life returned to his eyes.

“…Cough. Deputy Commander Seris….”

“…Commander… I’m here. It’s Deputy Commander Seris!”

“…With this mission…. I kept my promise.”

“………..!”

At his words, Seris’ eyes widened. However, tears soon streamed down, and despair reigned once again.

At this moment, that promise was not important to Seris.

“Please… I don’t need promises… or anything else. I only need you, Commander…”

“…Deputy Commander Seris….”

“Captain?! No, this can’t be! I’m still…!”

Swoosh-

As his hand touched her cheek, Seris’s body stiffened abruptly. Though his hand felt cold, his face emanated warmth.

“Goodbye, Seris…”

Smirk-

“…and everyone. Take care…”

From someone who always maintained an expressionless demeanor in any situation, a warm smile now adorned his face. It was the first time Seris and the mercenaries witnessed him smiling.

More full of warmth than any dignified figure, it seemed to be a smile filled with affection.

Softly-

“….Sorry for not reconciling….”

Before finishing his sentence, his hand slackened and fell to the ground.

As the desert sun had passed its zenith, the twilight now descended before nightfall. The glow of the sunset illuminated beautifully, casting a halo behind Captain Venice.

“Captain?”

Shake, shake.

“Captain?! This can’t be! You’re the Captain!!”

Shake, shake.

Staring blankly at that smile, Seris shook the limp body of Captain Venice. However, there was no response from him.

“…No…! No, no, no, no…!!!”

Shake, shake, shake-

Even though she hadn’t conveyed her apologies. Even though she hadn’t told him that she loved him, that she was grateful.

Seris rationalized that the Director of Venice must still be alive, and his body trembled.

“Please… stop… Vice Director…”

“Crrr-!!!”

“Huh… huk…”

“…Vice… Director… Please stop…”

“…No…! The Director is still…!”

Seris pushed away Hans, who was trying to restrain him, and looked at the face of the Director of Venice again.

“…Ah.”

His body slumped, and his once bright red eyes were already lifeless.

Blood continued to flow from his severed left arm and pierced abdomen.

No. This can’t be. It can’t end like this.

There were still words he hadn’t conveyed. Words he wanted to say.

“No… no no no no no…!!”

Please… tell me it was all a joke. Get up again like always and reassure me.

“I said no!!! aaah-!”

Send me that indifferent yet warm gaze once more.

“No no no no no no-! Directorrr-!!”

No matter how much his body shook, no matter how hard he tried to wake him up, the dead body did not come back to life.

“aaah-!!!!!”

The twilight of the desert, where a beautiful sunset shines.

In that place where legends descend, they, who were both pillars and fathers, and those who had lost their beloved, could only wail in despair.

Thus, throughout the night, in the Valley of Death, only the harrowing cries and screams echoed.