Chapter 44: Burial Chamber of Angels (part ten)

Confirming that Palug had lost her intention to fight, Auguste seemed to have released the mental interference ability.

At the same time with Palug’s stiff body loosened, Auguste’s body tilted forward.

Palug caught Auguste’s falling body gently.

『Auguste!

Why did you do such a reckless thing!

Because you shared the power of your soul withk me, normally you shouldn’t be able to move until the completion of the contract!』

“Aah, I was sound asleep. But……there’s no way I can sleep with such a loud voice nagged at me.”

Auguste glanced at Klaus who had fallen asleep.

I see, so Auguste was the opponent of the conversation just before Klaus fainted, huh

“‘If you can’t move, I will lend you my body. So you can protect Erica in my stead. I don’t mind losing my life’……that’s what he said, so there’s no way I can sit still and do nothing.”

『Auguste……』

“Because of his aid, I heard everything from the mid part, and managed to put everything together.”

Indeed, that was something Klaus would say.

Auguste rose to his feet while staggering.

“I’m sorry, Erica. I have let you encountered danger. I never thought you would follow me to a place like this.”

“No, because I did it on my own volition.”

“Still, thank you for stopping me. Somehow, I managed to stop before I could make the worst mistake.”

Auguste smiled softly.

Fatigue was shown through that facial expression, but he seemed to be somewhat cheerful.

Auguste refused support and stood in a place away from me and Palug.

Our position was exactly like an equilateral triangle if you connected the three of us.

Because of his attitude, I felt that he insisted on a neutral position that would not favour either me nor Palug.

“The question just before, it should not count as cheating if I told you the correct answer. Palug, was there such a precedent as well?”

To the question of Auguste, Palug quietly nodded.

As for Palug, as if her belligerent attitude some time ago was a lie, she had become totally meek.

She seemed like a prisoner waiting for her conviction.

“Who is the most important to me……wasn’t it.  Answer it once more, Palug.”

After hesitating for a while, she told us the answer once again.

『The most important person to you—

It is the girl who came from a distant land.

It is the girl who healed your loneliness.

She entered your heart in a fraction of a moment.

And then, she has become an indispensable person for you.』

“Aah, that’s right.”

『She is a descendant of an alchemist who came from a distant sea.

A girl with beautiful, transient golden hair and eyes the color of the sea.

The name of the one you love is Erica Aurelia—right?』

Auguste laughed as if troubled and slowly shook his head.

“Palug, that’s a mistake.”

『You cannot fool me, Auguste.

Who do you want from the bottom of your heart?』

“That is probably a feeling that is not yet love or romantic love.

Yes, for example, it is the feeling when a child who was walking in the darkness without light for a while, looked up at the night sky.

He found the glow of a single star in the dark night sky.

Even though he couldn’t reach it, he thought that he wanted that star – it is that kind of story.”

Auguste looked up at the ceiling and gestured as if reaching the invisible star.

With that words, I felt a little relieved.

Maybe, I was still afraid that I would get involved in such matters.

“This feeling is more of a childish desire.

So, speaking of important things, she is important, but Erica is not yet my most important person.”

Auguste lowered his eyes and looked at Palug.

Palug looked back at him while still looking unconvinced.

“She came from a distant land and healed my loneliness. She entered my heart in a short amount of time and became indispensable for me. That is correct.”

『Then, who do you mean? I have been with you forever, but there is no such woman!』

“There is. You cannot tell other people.”

Auguste smiled the same smile as the day when we first met and pointed his index finger to Palug.

“My most important person, that is, Palug……it’s you.”

I see, Palug was a friend of Auguste.

It was no wonder that she was the most important person.

Palug went several steps backward with a startled expression.

As tears gradually gathered in her eyes, her face turned red.

I understood well that anger and various other emotions were overflowing from the facial expression of Palug.

『W-what are you saying?

Saying something appropriate like that, you only said that to deceive me.

I will not be deceived.

No matter how much you want to help Erica, such a foul play is not allowed in the contract ritual.』

Auguste shook his head, looked at Palug in the eyes and answered.

“Palug, you have been by my side forever.

When the legitimacy of my blood was suspected and I couldn’t talk with my mother properly, you cuddled me all the time in exchange for my mother.

Even when I was isolated due to the irresponsible slanders or rumors, you were by my side.”

『Auguste……Such a thing……』

“I could walk to the place where the stars could be seen, it was because I wasn’t alone.

Because the warmth of your hands were pulling my hand.

Otherwise, I would have just been crouching in the darkness without light.

—I have answered you like this, are you still not convinced?”

Palug slumped onto her knees after hearing Auguste’s words.

The nails of flame that had been lit up for a long time were also retracted indefinitely.

『I would be fine with losing this life if it is for you.

No, I would rather have used this life for you.』

“I do not want to fly in the sky if I have to sacrifice you.

I would not make a wish if I knew that the cost of a miracle would be your life.

If I sacrificed you without knowing, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”

Palug smiled a lonely smile on those words.

『……Such a kind prince.

I didn’t want to tell you that the time I have left was short.

In this way, you have given up your dream, your wish.』

“No. It is you who are kind.”

Auguste walked over to Palug and held her fur-covered hands.

Palug raised her face and stared at Auguste.

Auguste smiled somewhat apologetically.

“There are things I have to apologize to you about.

I always thought that you are too kind and that you kept on telling me white lies.

Because of that, I couldn’t believe in myself…… that you only said such things to me because of my heritage and ran away.

That’s not it, I was scared.

Perhaps, the blood of my father really doesn’t flow within me. I do not have the talent to ride a dragon.”

『Auguste……』

“But, now it’s different.

Next time I will also believe in myself with all my heart, because you have always believed in me.

Even if everything you said is a lie, I will turn them into a reality.

I will not make you a liar.”

Palug hugged Auguste and buried her face in his shoulder.

Although I couldn’t see her expression, her shoulders were trembling and I heard a small groan similar to a sob.

Auguste stroked Palug’s head gently.

“I promise, Palug.

I will overcome my weak self and this time I will reach that sky with my own power.”

After a while, Palug raised her face and drew back from Auguste.

She looked somewhat cheerful, so I didn’t know whether she was crying or not.

Palug sighed deeply and looked at Auguste.

『Good grief, what a selfish prince……even though you are the one who asked me to do this, you are the worst.』

“Sorry, sorry.”

In contrast to her words, Palug’s tone was gentle.

I felt relieved to see that.

『Hey, Auguste. I have something to apologize to you too.』

“It’s fine, you don’t have to tell me. I will forgive everything.”

『I haven’t told you something about the contract. If I am to have a new Lord through a re-contract, memories about me will disappear from the people who has been involved with me.』

“……What did you say!?”

“W-wait, Palug-san!”

I just didn’t want to die, I didn’t want to wish for a miracle.

I didn’t intend to take her away from Auguste.

Before we could stop her, Palug declared loudly:

『I, Angel Pestilence, admit my defeat to the wise human.

With this, Lady Erica Aurelia will be my Master.

I swear to my God that I will grant her wish with all my power.』

Along with those words, the color of the light on the wall that decorated the room changed

From blood red to sunshine gold.

Like golden petals, particles of light were slowly falling down from the ceiling.

『Goodbye, Auguste. May your life after this be full of light.』

Palug said so and kissed Auguste’s forehead.

At the same time, Auguste’s eyelids dropped heavily and his body tilted forward.

“Wait, Palug, I’m still……you……”

Auguste reached for Palug, but his hand immediately dropped.

After catching the falling Auguste, Palug gently laid his body on the floor.

The particles of the falling light penetrated into the unconscious body of Auguste and Klaus.

Particles of light came close to the bag containing Tirnanog, but it seemed that it was being repelled by some mysterious power.

『Oya, it doesn’t work for that serpent, huh. I see, it seems that Aurelia really refuses the power of my God.』

“Wait a minute, what are those lights?”

『Didn’t I say it? Because of the restrictions of my God, things concerning me are erased from the memory of those who know me.』

“There is no need to do so, please do not erase Auguste’s memory.”

Palug shook her head while smiling with a mixed expression.

『This is what God had set, so I cannot do anything about it.

Just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, or that water flows down from a higher place.

There is no one who can escape from this forced oblivion, except for you Aurelias who apparently seem to be outside of my God’s principle.

The only thing I can do is to slightly modify this phenomenon, by leaving only a small part for the basis of the folklore.』

“Palug-san……you, you have been forgotten by people for a long time, haven’t you?”

The lore of Angel Pestilence was fragmented and was differentiated as the stories of multiple monstro.

The reason for that was this oblivion principle.

There was probably a lot of events in those contracts that weren’t shown in the folklore.

How many encounters and farewells had she repeatedly have ever since she descended to this world?

Palug smiled at me with a gentle expression.

It was as if she wasn’t suffering from loneliness.

It felt like she was an angel for sure.

『Do not make such a sad face.

Even if everyone forgets me, I remember everything.

Only my loving memories that have been with me all this time.

I was always happy.

In addition……you are Aurelia who refuses God’s principle.

Even if the last oblivion principle works, you will remember me, won’t you?』

“Perhaps, you deliberately lost to me, didn’t you?”

She didn’t want to betray Auguste’s feelings, but she also didn’t want to break her contract with God.

And there were only few ways to keep Auguste from carrying such a heavy burden.

Through being knocked down by someone, or through a re-contract.

She was able to kill us at any time, but she postponed it with various reasons.

Perhaps she thought that she wanted someone to stop her.

『Well, who knows~?』

Palug said jokingly while turning her back towards me.

As if gently refusing to answer further questions.

In the end, the truth remained unknown.

『So? Erica Aurelia, what do you want?

Unfortunately, even if I am an angel, I am almost like a wreckage.

So you cannot wish for eternal life, ultimate beauty, or enormous wealth.

It will certainly be the last wish that I can grant, so if you can, I want you to wish something that is worthy of me risking my life over.』

While turning back, Palug asked me.

Even if she said so, I didn’t think I had a wish that I wanted to realize.

Maybe to return the cat ears and tail to normal?

No, no, that was set in the stone, so I didn’t need to wish for it.

After thinking for a while, I suddenly think of something.

“Palug-san, what do you wish for?”

『Ha……?』

Palug faltered and looked at me stupidly.

It was unthinkable to extort a miracle from a dying angel.

Since that was the case, there was only one thing I should do.

It should be fine to pitch in and help my precious friend and this depressed friend.

“Hey, Palug-san the Dying Angel, I will give you a miracle.

You can wish for the miracle you want.

Whether it’s for your own life extension, or even for Auguste, it’s fine.

This is what I want you to do the most right now.

I wonder if such a wish can be granted?”

『You……you don’t want to use it for yourself, are you stupid?

It’s a real miracle.

Anyone would kill for this, you know?

Even though I’m just a wreckage of an angel, the miracle that I could grant cannot be measured by ordinary humans, you know?

You must have one or two wishes, right!?』

“No, not really.”

Sorry, but I already received enough miracles.

After reincarnating, I had a sufficiently happy life—an affectionate family and good friends with a non-human mixed in, my life was complete and I couldn’t wish for more.

For a moment, I thought of the remaining death flags.

There were five more heavy events like this.

—No, it was fine for now.

I would do something about that with my own effort and my friends’ help.

“You can use the miracle as you desire, as much as you want, and for your own sake.”

I smiled sweetly while assuming the air of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Since I was tempting an angel, I had to try to play the devil as much as I could.