Apostle of the Goddess of War

Chapter 177

Ch.177 Apostle of the Goddess of War

"Brother Sion. You're here?"

"Yes. What were you doing?"

Sion sat beside Kaili. He asked what she was doing, but it was obvious. She was merely praying before the Goddess statue.

"I was talking."

"With the Goddess?"

Sion replied even though he knew. However, the answer that came back was unexpected.

"No. It's been quite a while since I talked with the Goddess."

"Really?"

"Yes. The world is in this state; what's the point of talking to the Goddess? She probably doesn't have time to care about a Priestess either."

Sion rolled his tongue inside his mouth before asking.

"Then? Who were you talking to?"

"My dead family."

Sion's heart sank. It was an unexpected answer. Kaili was always a sibling who stared blankly, making it hard to grasp what she was thinking normally.

When they first met, she was so shocked she had lost even the ability to speak.

'Were you missing your family….'

As an older brother, he felt deeply sorry for not noticing this. When Sion couldn't find words, Kaili playfully opened her mouth.

"If you didn't know I was missing my family, and feel sorry and embarrassed about that, then it's a blunder—Brother Sion."

"What… are you saying?"

Kaili glanced at Sion once, then gazed at the Goddess statue again.

"I don't have memories of my family. To be precise, I had no good memories."

"Hmm."

"Dad beat Mom every day, and the person called Mom never gave me food. The only one who took care of me was an older sister a few years older than me."

"That's the first I'm hearing of this."

"Because it's the first time I'm saying it."

Sion scratched his cheek.

'The world must really be ending. I'm even hearing Kaili's inner thoughts.'

Kaili's calm confession continued. Sion also sat calmly beside Kaili and listened intently.

"Will you listen?"

"Of course."

Since she rarely spoke about herself, he had no choice but to focus more. It was also a story that needed to be heard now that the world was ending.

The corners of Kaili's eyes twitched. Since this had never happened, Kaili seemed awkward too. Nevertheless, one could feel the lump of emotion accumulated inside. One wondered how fiercely a child not yet an adult must have endured to become like this.

"Suddenly, knights rushed in. They barged into our shabby house and took our food and blades."

"They were at war, I suppose."

"I was too young to know back then. They just looked like hungry beasts. Or perhaps like demons endlessly greedy."

Kaili said lonely. Sion patted Kaili's shoulder.

"Then Dad and Mom, who resisted, died, and my sister voluntarily went with them to protect me. I hid in the ashes. My sister hid me."

"Why did the knights go that far?"

"I realized a little later."

"Yeah."

Kaili sighed softly and continued.

"They wore knight uniforms, but they were just bandits."

"……"

"After that, I never saw my sister again. She probably isn't alive now. She was already dying from an illness to begin with. She must have suffered terribly before dying."

Sion felt complicated. No words of comfort came to mind. It must be a deep wound of Kaili's that cannot be soothed by any words. The attitude of his young sibling speaking so calmly hurt his heart even more.

"At that time, powerless and weak, I couldn't leave the village. It was a cold season, so I would have died if I wandered around even a little."

"……"

"I rummaged through Dad and Mom's corpses, stole their clothes, and wore them. I even sucked milk from dead livestock and survived by wandering through burned houses."

Sion scratched his cheek. Everyone had their circumstances, but Kaili truly suffered at such a young age. She had navigated a hell worse than imagined.

"Then a slave trader passing by that road took me by chance, and a few months later, I met you, Brother."

"You went through a lot. You're amazing."

"Hmph."

Kaili gave a lukewarm reaction and turned her eyes away. She picked up a stone and threw it somewhere.

"Boring story, right?"

She seemed shy after finishing the tale. Kaili's cheeks turned red like an unripe peach.

"It's a noble story."

"Eh. Noble?"

"Yes."

Kaili flinched and distorted her expression. She seemed to dislike Sion's reaction so much that her face, prettily decorated as a Holy Maiden, was ruined.

"What's with that! You're teasing me, right?"

Sion shook his head. He wore the expression of a lord declaring a verdict.

"It's just… how should I put it. I felt something after hearing your story."

"W-what is it?"

Sion stared intently at Kaili. His blue eyes fully captured Kaili, who was embarrassed.

"You lived in hell back then. Something worse than hell, perhaps."

"Th-that's true."

"It must have been hard to endure at such a young age. Dying would have been more comfortable."

"That's right."

Kaili also answered simply.

"But why—why did you struggle so much?"

"Struggle?"

"To live. You overcame hardships difficult for someone so young."

"Uh…."

Caught off guard by the question, Kaili couldn't add more words.

"Why… did you do that?"

"Yeah."

Kaili tilted her head. She shook her cat-like head left and right several times, seeking the answer to the question.

Soon, Kaili presented an answer. Simple and clear.

"Just?"

"Just?"

"Yeah, just. Isn't trying to live an instinct?"

"That's true."

"I don't think there's a specific reason. I just wanted to live, I guess."

"Simple, isn't it?"

"Right?"

Sion smiled slightly.

"There was no need to think unnecessarily."

"Huh?"

"There's no other reason needed to keep living."

"That's right. No matter how boring, one just lives. Because enjoyable things will happen once in a while."

Sion nodded in agreement with Kaili's words. He even muttered foolishly to himself, 'Yeah, that's it.'

"Brother, what's wrong? Is your brain broken? Shall I pray for you?"

"You just said you can't communicate with the Goddess anymore."

"I still have some skill, you know?"

"Haha. Yeah, yeah. Use that Divine Power for people who need other help."

"You are teasing me, right? Huh? Aren't you?"

Kaili jumped up. She approached Sion with a vicious face. Her eyes were full of mischief like a kitten.

"You've grown too big now; it's no fun teasing you."

"No it's not! I'm still a kid!"

"That's right. Still a kid. A kid who needs to become an adult."

"……Are you leaving?"

When Sion brushed off his seat and stood up, Kaili paused and asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you done resting now?"

"Did I rest?"

"I just rested. The world is ending, after all."

"I can rest too, can't I?"

"That's true. That's why I didn't say anything, right?"

Hee-hee. Kaili laughed like a girl.

Well, she was indeed a girl. It's the age to laugh.

"Your tone sounded like you hoped I'd work?"

"……It is everyone's wish for the Goddess of War's apostle to rise."

"As expected."

"But I don't like it. You are my brother. I just want you to spend time with us like this."

Kaili grabbed Sion's hand. Sion felt a small warmth.

"I want to do that too—but—"

"But?"

"Time is too short."

"Hmm."

"Let's restore the world to normal and spend a long time together."

Kaili's expression hardened, then softened again.

Though young, it was an expression that understood Sion's heart better than anyone.

"I'll pray."

"Yeah."

"When it's all over, play with me. All day long."

Sion smiled and ruffled Kaili's hair. Kaili's fine hair became messy and ruined. Kaili glared at Sion and huffed.

"I'll play with you until you get tired and tell me to get lost."

"Ugh! I don't want that!"

***

"It has been a while, Sir Sion. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

People of the Wildflower Cult, who had set up camp where only a few trees remained on the sandy hill, were praying. Sion went to find them. His connection with the Wildflower Cult was long and deep. Now they were truly family.

"Sir Marquisin. Are you not treating people anymore?"

"I am not a doctor… Ahem. Everyone refuses treatment now anyway. Saying they will die regardless."

Sion trudged and sat under the shade. Sitting at the base of a tree to rest was always pleasant. Whenever he traveled and camped outdoors, he always chose this spot.

"Everyone is letting go of the thread of hope."

At Sion's words, Marquisin clicked his tongue.

"That is understandable, you know? Looking at the scene on the northern horizon over there, one cannot hold hope."

Sion also gazed in the direction Marquisin mentioned. Unlike the peaceful horizon, the land to the north was being crushed moment by moment beyond desolation.

Large and small pieces of the ground surface rose into the sky and were ground up. Then the powder scattered, forming a terrible sandstorm. The world's sandstorm was rushing down even now.

Toward the last remaining humanity.

"It's spectacular."

"It is indeed a rare sight."

"Is there really no hope?"

Marquisin handed Sion something to eat. Sion asked what it was.

"They say it's a fruit that grows only in the southern region. It only bears fruit on trees that grow where fire has passed. The taste isn't great. Only rich in nutrients. The surviving Fire Cultists told me."

"Were there Fire Cultists remaining?"

"Even in fierce fires that devour wildflowers, life always remains. Like this fruit. Doesn't it seem like hope?"

Sion cautiously opened his mouth.

"You said there is no hope."

"I haven't answered yet?"

"You were dodging the question."

"Haha. I intended to tell you. There is hope. Like this fruit."

Sion swallowed the fruit. It was small enough to toss in one bite.

"Ugh. It really tastes bad."

"It indeed lacks any sweetness."

"The texture seems okay, though."

Marquisin spat out the seed. He just spat it on the ground carelessly.

"They say if you spit it out like that, it will germinate where fire has passed. Isn't it amazing?"

"Ptooey. I see."

Sion also spat out the seed following suit. He wished that someday this area would become a field of tasteless fruit trees.

"So… have you regained your spirits, Lord Sion?"

"I came to regain them. Healing and recovery are the Wildflower Cult's specialty, aren't they?"

"Our cult has been playing the role of healers since some time ago. It's your fault, you know."

"But you do it amazingly well, don't you?"

"……I won't deny that."

Sion nodded. Taking a small deep breath, he asked.

"I'm going to fight."

"Against whom? Destruction itself?"

"Yes."

Marquisin hesitated for a moment before asking.

"That sounds like you, but do you have a plan?"

"That's why I came to ask. Do you have a plan?"

"Me? No."

"Will you just sit quietly and watch destruction with your own eyes?"

Whoosh.

The sand wind blew. The noble elf's hair fluttered like a horse's mane. It was rougher than before. The elves particularly disliked the sand winds of this area.

"Isn't it quite spectacular? Poetic, even."

"That it is."

"Tell me if you need help. However, I probably cannot provide a solution. I have no talent for fighting, as you know…."

"Because you are more suited to be a doctor."

Hahaha!

Marquisin laughed heartily. It was a sight rarely seen. He was always old-fashioned.

"Disciple of Garfenn."

"Yes."

"Go find the Goddess. Your master also sought the Goddess of War when he reached a dead end."

Sion smiled lightly. It was a very good solution.

"As expected of Sir Marquisin. Clear and concise."

"Elves are wise, you know."

"Then I'll go."

"Thank you for giving me hope."

Sion bowed lightly and stood up.