Chapter 134: Family

When I turned to look at him, the words he had once said flashed through my mind.

‘When you cross swords, you can learn about that person.’

Right.

This is why I had a feeling.

Evan wasn’t looking at the swordsmanship, but always at the opponent wielding the sword and he was an expert in that ability.

‘He must have figured out my identity when I fought with Clatter during the last job.’

In the end, the strange sense of unease I had felt at the time was correct, and it also meant that he had hidden me.

However.

‘So what.’

Nothing changes, one way or another.

Even at this moment, Evan’s lifeline was shortening.

I ignored it and started walking again.

I opened Lunark’s bag and looked for the antidote and I heard Evan’s mumble.

“……You’re not as surprised as I thought. I guess you were expecting it.”

I was able to find the antidote.

Purified water.

Another name for holy water.

I don’t know why this guy was carrying purified water blessed by the Obje Cult, but the problem wasn’t something so trivial.

‘There’s only one bottle.’

There were two people poisoned, but only one bottle.

I uncorked it and took it to Evan without hesitation.

I didn’t even think of splitting it half and half from the beginning.

It was uncertain whether one bottle would even be enough for a full detox and splitting it would be an act of sheer stupidity.

However.

Thud-

Evan’s hand grabbed my wrist as I was about to give him the purified water.

“Professor.”

“……The request?”

“No, drink this first.”

My voice was filled with frustration.

It was only natural.

Evan’s face was now paler than ever, and with every breath he took from his pierced lung, there was a gurgling sound of blood.

Time was running out.

If he didn’t detoxify quickly and use his abilities to mend his wounds, he could really die.

However, Evan shook his head.

Whether he knew my burning frustration or not, he just kept spouting endlessly frustrating words.

“That is yours.”

“No, what are you talking about?”

“Send my mother off peacefully. This is the request I want to entrust to you.”

“……!”

“I’m sorry. For asking such a favor. I know I should do it with my own hands…… but I just can’t. Even knowing that she’s possessed by a demon. After all, she is my mother. You, who have been detoxified, will be able to catch up to her even after this much time has passed.”

“……”

“This is my request.”

I looked down at him and couldn’t say anything for a moment.

I closed my eyes and swallowed a deep sigh.

And I looked up at the sky.

Aimlessly flowing clouds.

Behind them, a cool moon looked down on us mercilessly.

My heart naturally grew cold.

I couldn’t understand his feelings one hundred percent.

But I could guess the pain.

It must be more painful than any wound he had ever received, having crossed the line of death so many times, and it must feel like his mind was collapsing.

To the point where he couldn’t do it himself and had to ask someone else to kill his mother.

This situation is so desperate that he wants to die, and he hates himself.

Therefore, he is actually trying to cover up his sins with death.

However, in my eyes, it just looked like a cowardly escape.

“I don’t know if sending your mother off on your behalf is truly for her sake.”

“……”

“Well, if you think that this situation is your own fault and that facing death is a punishment you give yourself, then I can’t help it. But honestly, I think it’s a bit cowardly. After all, it means you’re scared. Of the situation and facing your mother.”

I drank the purified water.

A cold energy spread through my body, driving out the poison.

Soon, with a slight tingling, I could feel the mana spread in the air, and my revived senses quickly expanded their range.

“Even if her body has been consumed by a demon, her soul would still be lingering in there, waiting for her son to come. How disappointed would she be to find out that her son is dead and someone else has come to see her.”

“……!”

“If you truly love your mother, say your final goodbyes yourself, as her son. While you’re alive.”

Clang, the empty bottle in my hand fell to the floor and shattered.

A single gold coin was now in my hand.

The artifact that had now become the symbol of Shadow, the ‘Eclipse’.

“Call of the Blood Moon.”

At that moment, a pillar of blood-red light shot down from the sky.

Thud thud-

Two figures walked out of the pillar and knelt before me.

“We greet the Master.”

“You called, boss?”

Dayle asks with a flushed face, as if the two of them had been drinking.

Normally, I would have chuckled, but unfortunately, the atmosphere wasn’t right for that now.

The two also seemed to have roughly grasped the situation by looking around, and they waited for my instructions with serious faces.

“I’ll catch her for you.”

I said to Evan.

“So you just get ready to meet your mother.”

I then gave the order.

“Save him. By any means necessary.”

“As you command.”

Leaving the two of them, who quickly rushed to Evan and began first aid, behind, I went down the hill to grant his request.

The demon had not fled far.

***

Fortunately, the direction the demon had fled was toward the factory district.

It was late, so there were no workers left and I was able to pursue the demon with a relatively easy mind.

Catching it was simple.

The main ability of the Death Council’s High Cleric, Lunark, was necromancy.

Although he had the ability to summon a demon by borrowing a human body, the class of the summoned demon was bound to be endlessly low.

The demon that was possessed was an Imp, known as a lesser demon.

I easily subdued the struggling Imp and dragged it to the Lunatic, where I tied it up with chains and imprisoned it in the basement.

Just in time, Luis and Dayle also returned to the Lunatic with Evan.

Looking at her, tied up in the basement, Dayle grumbled.

“No. How am I supposed to sleep tonight then……”

“Shut up.”

I casually ignored him and looked at Luis.

Luis had just laid Evan down in his room and was coming down.

“Fortunately, Dayle had a silver ring, so we were able to get through the critical moment.”

I let out a cry of admiration inwardly.

Ah, that’s right.

Dayle was originally an artifact thief.

Among the artifacts he had was a silver ring, which was an item with the effect of greatly increasing resistance to poison.

“By the way, he had a peculiar body. Not long after putting on the silver ring, the blood flowing from his wound began to mend the wound on its own.”

“Hoo, really? He looked like he could hold his own, too. Ahem. Well, he’s no match for the boss, of course.”

“……”

“So who is he, exactly?”

The two look at me with eyes that need an explanation.

I was planning on explaining anyway.

I still don’t know what will happen, but Evan could become our comrade (that’s still my wish).

Even if not, Evan was the only outsider who knew my identity.

So I had an obligation to explain these facts to these two.

I first checked the time.

It was already midnight.

Realizing that there was quite a bit of time, I went out to the hall, and it seemed the two of them had been having a drink, as there were liquor bottles and snacks on the table.

Hmm.

Perfect timing.

“Sit. I have something to tell you guys anyway.”

The two sat on either side of me.

And so, from my meeting with Evan to the favorable impression I had of him, and thus my thoughts on recruiting him, and Evan’s situation.

Finally, to the cult’s attack.

The long, if you could call it that, story ended.

I observed the two’s reactions.

I had expected questions, or at least opposition, to pour out, but the two’s expressions were surprisingly calm.

Luis was quietly sipping his liquor, and Dayle had his chin in his hand with a nonchalant expression.

Dayle, who had just joined the guild, was one thing, but I had expected at least Luis to pour out a lecture.

As if knowing my thoughts, Luis speaks.

“In any case, haven’t you already made your decision, Master? That must be why you saved him.”

“……”

“Advice is only advice if the person listening understands it, but if they think of it as nagging. I don’t have any particular thoughts anymore either.”

“You should be grateful to me, boss. Right now, the person called the mother has taken my room and the guy called the son has taken my artifact. Where do you find an employee who gives up so much for a junior who hasn’t even joined yet? Huh?”

I let out a small laugh and shook my head.

Hearing the two of them talk like that, it made me seem like a completely bad and selfish master.

……Am I?

I do seem to have a bit of a willful side.

“Anyway, I can’t help but admit it.”

I felt awkward and needlessly raised my glass.

Luis and Dayle too, grinned and raised their glasses.

Just as we were about to clink them together.

Creak-

A sound came from above.

Evan, who had woken up at some point, was looking down at us from where the sound came.

To be precise, at me.

“Are you feeling a bit better, Professor?”

“……The request?”

Still a question for a question.

I stared at him for a moment and then answered.

“Follow me.”

And so, we moved to the basement again.

***

Chareureuk! Chareuk!

“Y-you came, son!”

Yael, tied up in the basement, shot up as soon as she saw Evan.

And she begs.

“What are you doing just standing there? Hurry. Hurry up and save this mother of yours……!”

“Are you just going to watch……? Don’t you feel sorry for your mother, tied up like this……? Hmm?”

I wonder if this is what they call the devil’s whisper.

Of course, the scene before me was closer to the pain of having swallowed bitter stomach acid than sweetness, but whether it was hopeful or desperate, the human heart always moves the same way.

Even Evan, who had little emotional fluctuation, had his fingertips trembling like crazy.

He was wavering.

Luis, who noticed this, steps in front of me to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

But I put my hand on his shoulder and shook my head.

“Sooon……?”

Around that time, Yael’s voice changed.

“You…… you don’t feel sorry for me, do you? Hmm~? You don’t love me……!”

She stares at Evan with eyes from which tears of blood are flowing and curses Evan with a voice full of hatred.

From pleading to struggling.

“Kyaaak! You are a bad son. How did I raise you!”

“To join hands with the bastards who put your mother in this state! You son of a bitch who should be torn to pieces!”

“Hurry. Hurry up and save me! Now!”

“Fight for me! Fight, you fucking bastard──!”

Kiaak──!

Yael shrieked like crazy.

She hit her own body with the chains that bound her arms, and scratched and peeled off her skin.

She even intentionally hit her head against the wall, and continued to self-harm violently.

Naturally, her body was soon a complete mess.

The blood that flowed from her wounds splattered on the walls and barrels and seeped into the floor.

It was around that time that Evan, who had been standing still, moved.

Thump! Thump!

Evan roughly tore apart the chains that were restraining her.

Chareureu…….

In that moment, Yael’s eyes, which had been continuing her self-harm, glinted.

The charging Yael.

Stab stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!

Evan’s huge body shook continuously.

Nevertheless, Yael, who had dug into Evan’s arms, did not stop.

Stabbing with her long nails, and stabbing again.

Blood poured out.

And Yael, whose body was stained red with that blood, grinned, tearing the corners of her mouth.

“Kihihihit! I have to take you to hell with me at least! Die! Die! Die!”

Dayle, who couldn’t bear to watch, loaded his musket, but.

“Stay still, Dayle.”

“But boss! He’ll really die at this rate!”

“……Then it can’t be helped.”

Then at some point, her stabbing stopped.

It wasn’t Evan who stopped her.

She stopped herself.

No, would it be more correct to say that it was blocked?

Because even now, the hand that was raised to stab is being held tightly by the other hand.

Budeul budeul…….

And so, Yael trembled and looked up at Evan.

“……Evan?”

And she said her son’s name.

“Mother……?”

“E-Evan. Heh. Hehe…… Evan.”

Evan’s body collapsed on the spot.

He kneels and embraces her like a child.

And he sobs.

Bursting out the emotions he had held back for years.

“Keueueuk…… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Mother……”

Yael smiled.

“M-mom is l-like this. Thank you for growing up so well, Mom is p-proud of you.”

Evan held her tightly.

“I don’t…… resent you. Never. Live comfortably now…… l…… I love you, Evan.”

Evan…… Evan…… Evan…… E…… van…….

Preciously and fondly.

Her voice, as she said her son’s name one letter at a time, gradually faded.

And looking at her, who had fallen into a deep sleep, Evan cried and cried without a sound.

All night long.

We, Shadow, stood by his side.

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