Chapter 224: The Blind Nobleman
Chapter 224: The Blind Nobleman
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Cecilia, who should have entered the mansion first, was still holding the doorknob.
I wondered what happened.
When I peered in from behind, I saw several unfamiliar elves.
Two of the elves were like bodyguards for the high-ranking elf sitting at the table.
I could tell from the way they carried themselves that they\'re skilled. They each carried a sword all the way into the room.
If you bothered them, they’d most likely cut you down where you stand.
The atmosphere wasn’t very welcoming.
Cecilia remained silent, glaring at the male elf sitting on the chair.
However, he didn\'t seem to notice her.
That\'s only natural. The male elf had his eyes covered with a black cloth.
After a while of silence, Cecilia opened her mouth.
[…..brother.]
Hearing that voice, Cecilia\'s older brother–I learned later that his name is Georg, loosened his mouth.
[Cecilia, it’s been a while. First time in 100 years?]
[No, it\'s been 250 years. Here I thought you have completely forgotten about me?]
[What are you talking about? You two are siblings?]
Even though Georg was supposed to be blind, he turned his face away from Cecilia’s general direction.
[It seems you have another guest.]
In contrast to the smile from earlier, it was a quiet voice.
His entourage of elves were also staring at me. And they were always ready to draw their sword.
For the time being, Cecilia\'s older brother didn\'t seem to welcome me.
[You’re not an elf… I can tell. But not a beastman either. Who are you?]
[About that…]
When I tried to answer, Cecilia interrupted me.
[It has nothing to do with you, brother. Isn’t it too late to come into my house for something like this?……This is the worst.]
[That\'s a terrible word. I’m filling in for the role that is originally yours. How long are you going to run away? No matter how much you struggle, you can\'t escape from the role you were given before you were born.]
[…you don’t know about that just yet.]
Cecilia\'s complexion was pale. I tried to call out to her, but I couldn\'t reach her.
Simply put, she had run away from this place.
I was left behind at Cecilia\'s house. Moreover, it was with her older brother whom I only met for the first time.
[My, my. Nothing has changed after all this time.]
He looked at me while saying that. It must be troublesome with someone like me who didn\'t understand the story was pulled in as well.
[Well, may I know your name?]
[…..Fate Barbatos.]
[Fate, huh… I see. Cecilia, who had remained celibate for a long time, invited the opposite sex to her house for the first time. But I don\'t have any intention to harm you.]
Hearing that, the entourage withdrew their hands from their swords.
The tingling air softened, and I relaxed my chest.
Did he sense that I didn’t have the intention to fight…? Then he said with a smile.
[We have some time until Cecilia comes back. Would you like to take a walk with me?]
[Are you insisting?]
[Well, I don’t think you know much about this place yet, so I thought I’d show you around. I think I would be a better guide than Cecilia in this case, but what do you think?]
Was it alright to follow him around? But he’s Cecilia’s older brother.
The reason why Cecilia got emotional and left me here on my own was probably because she believed in her brother despite what she said.
We only knew each other for a short period, but I don\'t think Cecilia would let me and dangerous people be in the same room.
It might be a good idea to take advantage of that kindness and learn even a little information about this place.
[Very well then.]
[I appreciate your earnestness. Actually, I have an important job to do. This is originally Cecilia’s duty. But I\'m doing it instead.]
[Cecilia’s duty?]
[Yes. I\'m sure it will be an interesting experience for you too.]
He stood up from his seat and walked out of the room.
When he passed by me, he tapped me on the shoulder.
[Come on, let\'s go. You can keep that broken sword with you.]
He’s okay if I remain armed? Should I assume that he trusts me?
Or did he think that I wouldn’t be able to put up a decent fight with a broken sword?
Well, whatever. I’ve decided to go.
I’m quite curious…about that interesting experience he mentioned.
And since I’m outnumbered here, I didn’t have any right to veto.
Leaving Cecilia\'s house, we proceeded down the main street of the Elf district.
[This direction is…]
[You\'re already familiar with the area, and you\'re surprisingly good at remembering things.]
As I thought, we passed through the glamorous town and arrived at the area where beastmen live.
The elf district was filled with quaint brick houses. Here was quite the opposite. The houses were lined with tattered wooden planks and seemed patched together.
And when all of the beastmen saw us, they bowed their heads.
It didn\'t look like they were paying any respect though.
[Today is also peaceful above all else.]
Georg seemed to be in a good mood. Despite seeming blind, his steps were light. It’s to the point that I thought that he could actually see.
[It has to be like this.]
[You mean?]
I didn\'t like how Georg looked. Therefore, I forgot to use honorifics when I spoke.
The surrounding elves put their hands on their swords again.
However, he gestured to them to calm down.
[It’s fine. He\'s different from us, and of course he\'s not a beastman. He\'s not bound by anything. In other words, he doesn\'t need honorifics.]
[And what is this interesting thing you mentioned earlier?]
[It\'s about time you see it.]
This was the second time.
The more I looked up, the stranger the wall――the Great Wall seemed to me. Even though it has such an overwhelming wide area, it is pure white with no stains. Pure white spread out in my field of vision.
[Are we going outside the wall?]
[No way. Of course not.]
Georg said so and pointed his finger somewhere. Looking in that direction, I saw a staircase.
Because of the pure white walls, they were assimilated to the point that one wouldn\'t be able to tell them apart unless you looked closely.
[Come on, let\'s climb. It\'s going to be hard from now on.]
[Isn\'t there an elevator or something?]
[We can\'t put something like that on the sacred Great Wall.]
Saying that, he grinned. Then he kept talking while climbing the stairs.
[There is meaning in climbing these steps, one at a time. Look.]
Beyond his line of sight…many beastmen were gathering on the ground.
[By the time we\'re all done climbing, there will be more.]
Georg may say that he’s filling in for Cecilia, but he seemed excited nonetheless. I mean, he probably has been doing this for the past 250 years.
I don\'t know what\'s ahead, but if you don\'t like it, there\'s no way you can do it for that long.
[Why does Cecilia hate you?]
[She didn’t want to handle her responsibility. She chose to do nothing instead. However, someone has to take the responsibility.]
[So you took her place instead?]
[Because we are siblings. Even a flawed product like me, who was born blind, must play a role. Even if it\'s a substitute.]
His steps were strong as he walked without missing a single step.
[Come on, we’re almost there.]
At the end of the daunting number of stairs was the top of the Great Wall.
The raging wind was so strong that if you\'re not careful, you might lose your footing.
[It looks like you\'re ready.]
Elf soldiers were lined up there.
[Thank you for your hard work. Who is the culprit today?]
[Yes, this is it.]
A beast man in chains arrived accompanied by a soldier. He looked like he had been roughed up in some way because his body was full of scars.
[What is the charge?]
[Stealing.]
[Haa… they simply can’t learn. You think so too, don’t you?]
From where Georg turned his eyes, people who were probably the beastman\'s family were brought in.
There was a young girl, a boy, and a mother?
Pleading voices saying [Dad] and [Dear] could be heard.
[Georg, this is…]
[As you can see, it\'s a trial.]
[Trial? Who will give the verdict?]
[I know you’d ask that.]
Georg looked at his feet and said.
[This Great Wall. If he’s not a sinner, I\'m sure it’ll help him. But… if not.]
[What are you going to do!?]
Georg gave instructions to his subordinate soldiers without answering my questions.
[Off with this beastman.]
[Yessir.]
The beast man was taken to the edge of the Great Wall. It\'s so close that it looks like he’s going to fall at any moment.
Georg said quietly and slowly.
[From here on out is the world outside. The world without blessings. If you\'re not a sinner, the Great Wall will invite you back into the inner world before you fall.]
[Don’t! I did it for my family! Doooooooonnn’t]
The beastman\'s family cried.
I couldn\'t help but try to move, but Georg\'s entourage of elves held me back.
If only I had my original powers… damn it.
And the beastmen\'s voices did not reach the elves, and the man was pushed down.
[Nooooooooooooooooo. I don’t want to die, I want to live]
I was dumbfounded as I watched the beastman fall.
But, Georg was different.
[Let\'s begin. Reincarnation ritual!]
The falling beastman began to emit a golden light. It\'s so bright that I couldn\'t look directly at it.
Making the pure white walls looked as if they were made of gold.