That Man’s 101st Bad Ending

Coincidence-4

There is something cold and poisonous. There is something warm and soft.

If I had to describe this woman named Adrian, it would probably be closer to the warm and soft side.

A woman who prevents the viewer from spitting out harsh words and rather makes them smile.

Innocent and innocent, but not stupid.

Even though she is a saint who claims to be pure, she is never swayed by evil temptations.

Therefore, it can be expressed in the word noble.

Having gone through countless lives, that was the impression I had of a woman called a saint.

It’s clean and noble, so you won’t find any flaws in it…

I thought so.

“Guys, you can’t pull your hair…it hurts…”

The image of being surrounded by children and constantly being bullied was quite different from what I thought of the saintess.

What should I say? Wouldn’t it be more correct to say it’s insignificant?

She laughed like an idiot even as she tugged at her hair, and seemed to enjoy being with the children.

On the subject, carrying all sorts of luggage, the clothes were covered with dust, to the extent that there were black things on the cheeks and forehead.

Maybe I was wrong about the idea of being a noble saint.

However, I was convinced that there was no one better suited to the name saint than Adrian.

Isn’t it because she was chosen as a saint because of her personality, not because she possessed divine power that others did not possess?

When I saw her, I felt quite strange, and I took my eyes off the saintess who was hanging out with the children.

I used to work in place of her who couldn’t move freely due to a sprained ankle, but I wondered if it was really okay to stay here.

I thought that being in a place like this would spoil the atmosphere for no reason.

I’m helping to repay the kindness that healed the wound on my neck last time, but I haven’t developed a connection between me and the saintess.

Maybe that’s why I’m just wasting my time.

It took a while for such a cold thought to come to mind, but it was quickly dissipated by a voice from the side.

“You were here alone.”

Her hair was dyed red in the setting sun, and the platinum-colored waves were now turbid.

However, it is clear nonetheless.

Even though her eyes were closed, a pure atmosphere still seemed to surround her.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Because the kids told me it was under the tree.”

You can come here without even looking around here,” she added with a smile, then sat down on the ground and hugged her knees.

So I looked around and realized that it was a pretty nice view.

As if paint had been sprayed, the sky dyed red by the sunset disappears over the horizon.

Today, a mild wind shakes the grass, and a single willow tree is overhead.

such a landscape.

Seeing the children get together and do something, it seemed that Adrian had a hard time getting out of the crowd.

After I stood there blankly for a moment, Adrian smiled and opened his mouth.

“how about it? I can’t be seen, so I just feel the light.”

“…I do not know. It just is.”

“Lie, how much Louis likes it here.”

Pointing in the direction of the children’s laughter, she briefly stretched her hands toward the sky.

As if trying to grab something, I could see the arm that was wiggling in the air and then dropping again.

“Kids see a lot of things. There are things I can’t see, but sometimes I tell them in more detail than adults tell me. You may not have learned much yet.”

“There has to be a time for that.”

“Louis always came here to watch the sunset. They said it was red, but I didn’t know what red was, so I couldn’t react. So I’ve always been curious. Is the color red pretty?”

Closed eyes turn to me.

It wasn’t about wanting to be taken care of. It was genuinely wondering if it was really pretty.

There are colors that can only be seen at this time.

The time when the sun goes down and the moon comes, a short moment when day and night overlap.

In a day divided into 24 hours, can we see this color for less than 10 minutes?

The blue sky was dyed red across the borders of the night.

As if to pour out all its remaining light, the sun, which emits a light brighter than the midday sun, emits a bright red light for the last time and disappears into the night.

That is why we can finally call the last glimpse of the daytime that we can see the sunset.

I couldn’t put into words all the feelings she wanted, so I just muttered briefly.

“It is beautiful. very much.”

“Is that so…I miss you too.”

Adrian smiled as if relieved. Then, after looking at the sunset for a while, he opened his mouth as he saw the light slowly disappearing.

“Actually, those kids aren’t the ones you see easily around here.”

“Is that so?”

“These kids are from the South. Do you know any beings called wizards?”

“There are many magic items, aren’t they? I know.”

Wizard, how could I not know of its existence?

However, it was a little strange that the word wizard appeared while talking about children.

Adrian added that he was not talking about an ordinary wizard like that.

“The South is a place where the Empire’s influence has not fully spread yet. It may be because of the great forest or the alien species that exist there, but it is still undeveloped and practically lawless.”

I knew that.

However, it was a word that did not fit well with the southerners and wizards.

However, nothing came to mind at all.

As she said, the south is a place where the influence of the center of the empire is almost non-existent.

It was a place overflowing with various indigenous beliefs, so sometimes.

There were people who did things that people would mistake for magic.

In the eyes of the people of the empire, they look like magicians, but they have far more cruel ideas than that.

“No way, what happened to the sorcerer…”

Adrian was startled for a moment, then nodded cautiously, confirming that the children were not listening.

“As you know, as much as I am a saint, I have no choice but to feel sensitive about things that are not permitted by God. These are the children I saved in the past.”

“…that’s why you’re here.”

“Even though it has the name of an orphanage, in reality, I am just taking care of children who have been victimized by a shaman. Even if they are smiling now, wouldn’t each of them have a scar?”

A shaman considered it their ritual to make a sacrifice to something.

He was executing offerings and summoning the gods and spirits he believed in.

It is said that they were abducting the children they considered the best sacrifices.

…probably everyone would have died if Adrian hadn’t noticed.

She looked in the direction of the laughing children with a slightly dark face, as if she knew that too.

Then, as if something came to mind, I smiled a little and licked my lips.

“Don’t tell anyone else that I said this. Actually, it was something I shouldn’t have told anyone. Did you know?”

“I have no intention of talking. I just… let me know.”

“Then it is safe. Actually, I said it knowing that you would answer that.”

It’s almost sunset now, and the surroundings slowly begin to sink into darkness.

Adrian tugged at his knees and stared into the air.

She must have realized that the sunset was gone. And, that it was time to go back.

However, it seemed that he still had lingering feelings, and that he didn’t look like he wanted to wake up.

Her ankle should have healed, but ouch, she said, then glanced in my direction.

“Are you still there? I can’t hear anything.”

“there is. At least until I get up and go, I intend to be here.”

Are you relieved by the soft voice? Adrian smiled briefly and looked at me for a moment.

His face was illuminated by the faint remaining light, and the dust on his cheek stood out for a very short time.

It seems to have been buried since a while ago, but apparently the children didn’t tell me about it.

Of course, Adrian didn’t know that.

He just gave a lengthy explanation of how nice the kids were, and then he started explaining one by one about the tired kids sitting on their backs.

Hans, Cato, Louis, Elin… Adrian, who was explaining the names one by one, caught his breath and continued.

“The kids seem to like Sir Taylor quite a bit. Maybe it’s because it’s the first time a noble has helped them.”

“If you think about it, isn’t there a saintess too? I guess I don’t know.”

“I hate saints.”

In an instant, the night comes when even the last remaining light disappears.

A night where the pale moon instead of the sunset, and the stars instead of the reddish clouds set their place and shine brilliantly.

Her shiny hair darkened a little, but my eyes narrowed at the momentary flash of light.

It was around that time that I realized that she was opening her eyes.

Gray eyes that had faded in color, eyes that couldn’t see anything were looking up at the sky.

With a slightly sad look, she continued.

“Rather than remembering me as a saint, it’s better for my children to think of me as just a close older sister. You’re uncomfortable with each other. Being a saint for nothing makes me uncomfortable, and there were too many people like that.”

“friend…”

“Mirajen is also my friend, but I can’t see her often because of the relationship between the saint and the princess. It’s been a year since I met you on my last birthday.”

With my eyes closed again, the cluster of lights that dazzled my eyes disappears.

Her expression darkened slightly.

It’s like you feel guilty for saying this.

“Sometimes…very occasionally. I thought about what would have happened if I hadn’t been a saint. If I can see my eyes, I just wish I could live like my peers and friends. I wonder what it would have been like.”

There was no answer to give her.

What would I do to a woman who is called a saint, just listening to her in silence until she pours out everything she wants to say?

I didn’t know much about her.

We met for the first time in this episode, because it was just a coincidence.

However… I could understand that feeling.

If I hadn’t regressed, before that.

Didn’t I imagine what it would be like if I could direct all my actions in the right direction?

“It may seem a little pathetic. The fact that a saintess is doing this…”

“I didn’t think so.”

It was a firm tone. There was someone else who could be said to be pathetic.

Compared to me, who tried to repeat the eternal return without letting go of the lingering attachment, wouldn’t Adrian be good enough?

I wanted to add something, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

I walk closer to Adrian, making a noise, so that he knows enough that I am approaching him.

Realizing that I was next to him, Adrian turned his head.

“Sir Taylor?”

“…let’s go, isn’t it time to go back?”

“ah?”

When I grabbed my hand that was sitting still, Adrian, who flinched for a moment, lightly grabbed my hand.

Raise your body by pulling your hand.

Standing up, she then removed her hand and bowed her head towards me. Apparently, he realized that it was time to go back.

“Yes. I have to go now.”

The sound of children’s laughter had ceased.

The way she said that was clear, and she smiled for some reason.

“You laughed again.”

“No, I didn’t laugh.”

“I think you just laughed a little.”

Are you sensitive to these feelings?

It was a little surprising to notice my smile, but I said no and looked in the direction of the children.

“I think I should go now, but shouldn’t the saintess also say hello to the children and go? Let’s go first. I’ll be right back.”

“The children will be disappointed.”

“…you won’t see it often. I have something to do.”

“I would be sad too.”

For a moment, I didn’t realize what she was saying.

I’m sorry- By the time my expression changed to grotesque when I realized the meaning, Adrian started falling for me with a nonchalant expression.

After taking a step back, he waved his hand and greeted me.

“See you next time. I don’t know where I can see it, but I feel that way.”

Her tone sounded like she was sure that we would meet again next time.

Since we met this time, it seems like we will definitely do it next time. I didn’t answer.

I shook my head slightly, but she wouldn’t have seen my movements.

The chance to meet the saintess was rare. I couldn’t be sure that she would come here again next time.

There is a limit to who can go to the church and climb the wall tower. You can do it if you want to belong there, but it will probably take a long time.

I think it will be difficult to meet. Unless this is really fate.

I just stared at him blankly until Adrian headed across the street to where the children were.

In the place where the light disappeared, only silence remained.

The moon, which had been so bright until just now, was now covered by clouds, leaving only cold shadows.

Isn’t it amazing

Only one person has disappeared, but the surroundings seem so empty.

In many ways, only the impression that she was a strange woman remained.

The impression of Adrian left behind instead of the pure and noble saint I had. She had turned into a pretty mysterious woman.

“… shall we go?”

After standing there for a while, he slowly starts walking towards the house.

While erasing the thought of a woman that still lingers in my head.

The dust that remained on her cheeks felt particularly irritating.