Chapter 263

Chapter 263

***

For someone who had lost their memories one clear thing was that they did not dwell in the past.

However Rickart had two pasts. One was a past dotted with fire and steel, blood, and death, and the other was a past where he cultivated salvation.

Was it truly possible not to dwell in the past? What to choose was self-evident. But even if one was chosen it doesn't mean the other disappears. Because originally the two were one.

Just, even if one tries to deny it one sticks like a shadow and never falls off, while the other felt only distant no matter how desperately he wanted it.

"I can sense a smell."

"Me too."

Caldebert and Rickart exchanged words. Taking about smell meant nothing other than the unique stench of orcs.

Looking back at Hushike she had her chin up sniffing *keung-keung* the smell. Not simply smelling the stench, but chasing a more fundamental smell beyond or inside it. Since they couldn't just chase any orc.

However no matter if she was a fairy she didn't have a dog's nose. Seeing that it seemed she couldn't distinguish something by smell, Rickart said.

"How about asking the fairies?"

"But I am a fairy?"

"No, I mean the other fairies."

"That's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that."

At Rickart's words Hushike puckered her lips and blew a whistle. However an actual sound wasn't made, but after a moment tiny fairies flew over sprinkling shining powder.

As Hushike whispered this and that, the fairies mobilized gestures and words to teach them something.

"They are slaughtering the orcs."

"Why?"

"Don't know."

"It's to show strength. Subjugating them by doing so. Because the method to lead orcs is only possible through overwhelming strength."

Sitting on the horse looking somewhere in the forest Caldebert said.

"Sounds like there's no big difference from humans."

"That is true. Elves too, though everyone is heterogeneous they subtly have intersecting parts right? Around where is it?"

Caldebert looked back at Hushike and asked. Hushike hesitated for a moment, but silently raised her hand and pointed in one direction. Caldebert turned the horse's head towards that place.

Rickart and Hushike followed him. The Taiga Forest harboring primeval secrets, into the increasingly deeper abyss.

While walking a burning smell brushed the tip of the nose. The smell of blood too. Although it was summer this place was cool, but a heterogeneous heat was also felt. A fire had definitely broken out.

After walking for roughly an hour the orcs' village appeared. Corpses dead from having been burned, crushed, or cut were scattered all over.

There were a few surviving orcs, but far from revealing hostility upon seeing humans they were rather terrified and hurriedly hid. Because right now, they knew they were not the predators.

Eurilias turned into an orc seemed like an existence bringing destruction around. Rickart felt a slight pity, something he completely never imagined he would feel from an orc.

Passing the familiar sight Caldebert and Rickart continued to enter the inner part of the forest. Unlike the forest the elves lived in, although the sun was blazing it was full of somewhat dark energy.

Egg sacs of man-eating spiders or traces of goblins passing by, sometimes even traces of movement of unidentified giant monsters were discovered everywhere.

It was a truly perilous place where one could lose their life if careless, but the expedition of three moved forward not out of courage but a kind of duty.

And they reached the place where the most dangerous beast in the world was.

Orcs were swarming *ugeul-ugeul*, and they were in the middle of eating another plundered tribe. The method Eurilias led the orcs was simple. Follow, or die and be eaten.

And although the figure couldn't be seen, beyond the orcs an overwhelming energy that couldn't be explained flowed out seemingly crushing their entire bodies.

The orcs quickly noticed the presence of the three, and looked back glaring *huibeondeok* their eyes. If they attacked it wouldn't be out of hunger but to unleash overflowing ferocity.

Though there were few people in the world who could properly stand while facing such madness-dyed eyes, Rickart, Caldebert, and Hushike stood calmly.

Because they felt the energy seemingly crushing their entire bodies gradually getting closer.

The thing that came out passing the orcs was the leader orc they saw a while ago. He was wearing iron armor that looked broken rather than clunky, and the helmet only covered the nose and upper part of the head so the long molars were fully exposed.

In his hand a highly giant and long sword was held, and for something made by orcs its build quality looked quite good. Though clunky the proportions fit well, and the blade part was sharp with no jagged parts.

Though scratched all over and with nicks here and there, because it had such a sense of weight it was a sword looking like it would just crush and saw through whatever the opponent was.

But he definitively had a point different from other orcs. It was his eyes. The eyes seemingly keeping anger concealed inside didn't look completely irrational.

And surprisingly, he knew how to speak. It was a very thick, phlegmatic-sounding voice that seemed to echo inside a cave.

"What is the reason you obstruct my work?"

"Because it is time to end it now."

Caldebert riding the horse answered confidently.

"Who says you can end it as you please?"

"Since such a decision has been made, if thoughts differ there is no choice but to mobilize other means of conversation."

"Hmph."

The leader of the orcs, and whose essence was a dragon Eurilias snorted and turned his head. And looking back again, pitch-black flames soared up along the blade.

Almost simultaneously Rickart also drew his sword and bloomed golden flames. In an instant Eurilias leaped brightly across a long distance. A height almost several times a person's height.

Caldebert and Hushike hurriedly dodged their bodies, and Rickart didn't intend to take it head-on but dodge very subtly and counterattack. But from afar it looked like taking the sword head-on.

As Eurilias's massive body fell he dared a downward strike seemingly able to even split a boulder, Rickart dodged narrowly seemingly brushing past and aimed for his flank.

However since the opponent wasn't ordinary either the sword and sword ended up clashing. At that clashing point a tremendous shockwave burst out.

At first there was no sound. An invisible something seemingly forcefully pushed everything in the surroundings away. The orcs tumbled down *ureureu*, Caldebert fell off the horse and Hushike also flew far away.

Belatedly a tremendous loud boom burst out.

*Kkwaang-!*

Rickart and Eurilias who were in the middle of the shock were unexpectedly fine. And the two exchanged offensive and defensive blows in the middle of the storm.

When Rickart's sword thrusted out like lightning, Eurilias parried and simultaneously counterattacked, and Rickart sometimes dodged, and for what he couldn't dodge pushed away the side of the opponent's blade with his hand.

*Hwikhwik! Huung! Hwiing!*

Each one was a very threatening attack enough that the sound of cutting the wind could be heard even from afar. But both sides didn't step back an inch. Both continued a heavy yet thrilling exchange of blows at a distance where they could kill each other.

Just, if one side stepped back slightly the pushed side would push forward again.

At that time the world darkened. Dark clouds that suddenly weren't there formed in the sky, and began to vomit thunder. Simultaneously, trees or vine stalks in the surroundings moved and aimed at Eurilias.

In an instant lightning struck down from the sky.

*Beonjjeok-!*

While focusing on the opponent Rickart quickly stepped back at the instinctive sense of threat, and Eurilias was hit directly by the lightning. Even before the pitch-black burned body was revealed, wriggling vine stalks entangled him like dozens of snakes.

Surprised by the tremendous fight the orcs stepped back, but Eurilias actually hit by lightning burst out a loud roar.

"Think this will be enough!"

Then he tore off the vines with strength.

However Rickart didn't stay still either. Aiming for the moment his body was bound for a short while he thrusted the golden burning sword. Seemed to cleave the world darkened by dark clouds.

*Kkwareung-!*

Eurilias struck back Rickart's attack as if swatting it. Then Rickart who had aimed for an opportunity and attacked couldn't properly deflect the force, and was rather pushed back.

Eurilias shouted looking at Rickart.

"You lost your memory too, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Because you did. Then you too must have come not knowing why you must kill me."

"Didn't you bastard want a sacrifice."

"Stupid words! The sacrifice is not for me but for you!"

For a moment Rickart wondered what he was talking about and his body stiffened.

Eurilias jerked his head *hwik* and back at Hushike who was manipulating trees and vines from afar. And shouting looking at Rickart again.

"Transformation is not simply changing the form of the body. It means changing even the soul! To return to the original form that much power is needed! I didn't want to do it in the first place! Ricitus told me to do it! Why can you do it but I can't!? This damn mortal shell!"

What was he talking about? At the too absurd words Rickart lost focus and was flustered. It was hard to properly understand what he meant, but the words that the sacrifice wasn't what the dragon wanted but was for me stuck in his mind like an arrow.

As if demanding some explanation, he looked at Caldebert holding a staff far away beyond Eurilias.

Caldebert who was wielding lightning magic had a complicated expression. Like, a similar expression to when Ricky was leaving for the battlefield.

But the situation was too urgent to calmly talk about the truth.

"If you can't believe it I will show you!"

Eurilias swung his sword widely cutting off the vines in a single stroke, then rushed towards Hushike. Highly surprised Rickart hurriedly chased him.

Hushike hurriedly hid her body behind a thick tree. But she shouldn't have done that. Because, Eurilias could cut that thick tree in a single stroke.

Without caring that Rickart was following close behind, Eurilias swung his sword widely and cut the thick tree in one stroke. Simultaneously, Rickart thrust his sword into Eurilias's back from behind.

Rickart thrust his sword in and tried to saw upward or to the side, but turning his body Eurilias clamped his teeth tightly and grabbed Rickart's wrist *deopseok* seemingly to crush it.

If it were an ordinary person's body the wrist would have been crushed at once, but Rickart's wrist area became a reddish translucent and didn't budge.

The half-cut tree tilted slowly. Rickart feared the tragic sight that would be beyond it would be revealed.

But fortunately, the crouching Hushike stood up and looked back at Rickart.

"I'm okay."

However it was then. While relief rushed in, Caldebert who approached from whenever stabbed Hushike from behind. In an instant Rickart was startled and strength drained from his body.

In the meantime Eurilias pushed Rickart. Even as Rickart fell backward his gaze didn't leave Hushike.

Hushike merely had a surprised expression, and her face didn't contort in pain. She merely, looked down at the staff that pierced out from behind then raised her head again and looked at Rickart.

"I'm really okay, Ricky......"

Doing so her eyes rolled back and she collapsed softly *seureureu*. Simultaneously Eurilias also pulled out Rickart's sword and collapsed pouring out blood. The only ones left were the two. Rickart and Caldebert.

Rickart's lips twitched but words didn't come out. Unable to even get up from his spot, he looked up at Caldebert with a gaze seemingly demanding an explanation.

"Predetermined things are bound to happen, Ricky. You will know when you see."

Merely saying that. Whether Caldebert intended to run away he approached the horse. But getting on the horse he didn't even leave and merely paced around.

Rickart had a hard time properly knowing what emotion he was feeling right now. Sadness? Anger? Sense of betrayal? Didn't seem like it, just his heart throbbed continuously.

But then, between the dead Hushike and Eurilias a magic dimensional portal appeared. Seemed to push space away, and beyond it a completely different world was spread out.

A green field, a flock of cotton-candy-like sheep could be seen far away. And a boy sitting looking at the field looking very tiny.

When the boy entered his eyes Rickart couldn't think of anything, and his whole body stiffened. Merely reached out a trembling hand towards the boy. Seemed like if he shouted loudly he would look back.

Only then did Caldebert drive his horse and dash into the dimensional portal. Right before entering the dimensional portal, Caldebert looked back at Rickart and said.

"I won't bid farewell. Because we will meet again soon. My Star."

As he passed the dimensional portal, the dimensional portal disappeared like a dream, as if it was originally never there. Only two empty corpses remained.

Soon the lost past rushed into Rickart's mind, into his heart.

Although he heard it transmitted from Hushike, this wasn't simply memories returning but closer to a lost personality reviving.

Many faces flashed before his eyes. All were smiling. From gentle smiles, to refreshing laughs. Mother, Father, brothers, Marie, Bori, Bolka, Ice, children, Roy, numerous ties......

However what the current Rickart could did was only kneel, lower his head and shed tears quietly. As he had once prayed, asking to become a person who quietly sheds tears towards God.

Caldebert dashed across the field riding the horse. A very refreshing wind blew. The air was clear and peaceful. Approached the shepherd boy who was sitting.

With the most heart-warming smile in the world, he asked thus.

"Shepherd, what is your age?"

That question, across the long time seemed to be heard in Rickart's ears now.

Volume 53 - An Undeniable Lie. End.