I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 111: The Ascension Ritual (2)

A man who had been on the brink of death was granted a brief reprieve.

However, that time was just a fleeting moment—a drop in the bucket compared to the lifespan he could have originally expected. For one whose body, soul, and essence were shattered by the failure of the Ascension Rite, it was a blessing nonetheless.

“To be honest, I thought I would die on the way here. I was well aware of my own condition.”

The man gave a faint smile. Although Selene had done nothing wrong, seeing his smile filled her with a sense of guilt.

“The reprieve I granted won’t last long.”

“Yes, I can feel that the flame of my life is nearly out. But what does that matter? I have lived long enough. I’ve witnessed countless cycles of budding and wilting. Ah, I’m not boasting about my long life.”

“I don’t see it as boasting.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief. Either way... when I think about finally placing a period on this long life, it feels rather liberating.”

After chatting around the campfire, the man rose to his feet.

Was he preparing to leave?

Selene noticed his intention and held onto him.

“If you find a place with less miasma, you could live longer. The journey won’t be easy, but if you’d like, I can write you a recommendation to go to the Sacred Kingdom.”

“Thank you, but I must respectfully decline. There is still something I wish to do.”

“Something you want to do?”

“Yes. I wish to gather the remains of those who walked this path before me. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and now, I finally have the chance.”

“If it was so important, why didn’t you do it earlier?”

“Because if something happened to me on the way, I would be desecrating their legacy. It might seem like an excessive concern, but as long as there’s any chance, I couldn’t act recklessly.”

“I see... so that’s why...”

“But now, like them, I have undergone the Ascension Rite. There is no longer any reason to hesitate. Though my body may be too weak to craft a worthy grave, I can at least tend to their remains.”

The man was willing to burn the last of his life’s flame, not for himself, but for those who had already departed.

“Can’t you just live on, since you’ve been given this reprieve? Do you know how many people sacrifice others without a second thought just to survive?”

You don’t have to look far to find them.

Even demons like him migrated to the Ardina continent for such reasons.

Not that I’m blaming those demons.

It’s just that I can’t understand why he’s so willing to give up the chance others can’t grasp, even with all their struggles. I, too, once wished for a miracle like that.

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“To me, it’s more meaningful to die a purposeful death than to live off the sacrifice of others.”

“A meaningful death...?”

“Wouldn’t a parent feel sorrow being stabbed in place of their child? Yet, they’d also feel relief and gratitude that their child lives. To them, their child’s life is more valuable than their own.”

Seeing the incomprehension on my face, the man gave me a warm smile.

“That’s how it is.”

“...Then what if your child or friend, in an effort to save your life, took someone else’s life? How would that make you feel?”

“Hmm... I’d probably feel miserable. As I mentioned, I don’t want to live off the sacrifices of others.”

“Even if it’s the life of a heinous criminal?”

“Yes, even then.”

By his logic, does that mean you’re supposed to spare even the enemies charging at you on the battlefield?

If I took his life, I’d be living off that sacrifice too.

I suppose it’s this very mindset that allows him to cling to Edel’s mission...

Still, I can’t understand it.

“I know my outlook may seem frustrating. But having lived this way all my life, it’s hard to imagine living differently. So, could you bear with my stubbornness?”

“Bear with you? It’s not like I’m your keeper, so how you live isn’t my concern.”

“Haha. That’s true.”

The man glanced upward.

Through the dense miasmic fog, a faint light began to seep through.

“It’s already this late. I apologize to both of you, but it seems I must be going. As Sister Selene mentioned, I don’t have much time left.”

“Ah...! Just a moment...!”

Selene held his hand, closed her eyes, and offered a silent prayer.

“Though I cannot accompany you, may Lady Edel’s blessing go with you...”

As she wished him well, the man finished his preparations to leave. Not that there was much to prepare—tightening the small bundle slung over his shoulder was all he needed.

Dusting off his worn and wrinkled clothes, he bowed deeply.

“I don’t know your purpose exactly, but if you ventured into dangerous Raxia, there must be a higher cause. May Lady Edel’s light accompany you as well. And...”

His dark eyes, reflecting a faint light, landed on the pink-haired girl.

“If I had a little more time, I would have liked to listen to your troubles. It’s a shame I can’t.”

“What, are you trying to act like my guardian? Sorry to break it to you, but that position’s already filled.”

“Ah... is it the person sleeping behind you?”

“...W-what?!”

Startled by my own outburst, I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth.

Fortunately, my voice hadn’t been loud enough to wake Daeun, who continued to sleep peacefully, breathing softly.

After confirming this, I lowered my voice.

“...Why would you think something as ridiculous as that?”

“Is it? I just noticed how attentive you’ve been to her since earlier and thought you must hold her in high regard.”

“Hold her in high regard... Even if I concede that, isn’t it normal to see that as simple consideration for a companion, rather than as a guardian? Isn’t that a bit of a leap?”

“Hmm, indeed. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”

“No need for an apology.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

The man’s eyes softened with a gentle smile.

“Well, even if I’m not a guardian, it’s an elder’s role to offer advice to troubled youth, isn’t it?”

He seemed quite comfortable referring to himself as an old man. It was amusing to see someone so candidly acknowledge their age, unlike those who strained to appear younger.

Though, if I think of the lifetime he dedicated to purifying miasma, perhaps it isn’t as enviable as it seems.

“Seeking answers to your troubles is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe that reflecting and contemplating endlessly is the path to becoming a better being.”

“Well, that’s quite the philosophy lesson. Didn’t you say you’re short on time? Stop lecturing and get going already.”

He presumed to know what was in my heart and spouted all this nonsense. Irritated, I brushed him off bluntly.

In terms of social etiquette, I’d probably be criticized for rudeness.

But what does that matter now?

If I cared about such things, I wouldn’t be speaking informally in the first place.

Even with Edel, who could be considered the oldest in this world, I threw around informal words. Why start observing manners now?

Waving my hand as if to shoo away a bothersome guest, the man gave a respectful nod.

“I hope you achieve what you desire.”

“Yeah. You too.”

I didn’t bother with noisy farewells like “Take care” or “Be safe.”

Those words would have felt meaningless.

And frankly, it would be a bit embarrassing to say them to someone I’d only just met.

As Selene watched the man slowly disappear into the darkness, she murmured softly.

“Will we meet again?”

“We might. Though I can’t say in what state he’ll be.”

“....”

Selene looked at me with a chiding gaze.

It was rare for her to look at me like that, so I averted my eyes slightly.

...Hmm. Thinking about it, my words might have been a bit harsh.

Even though I knew, offering kind words wasn’t exactly in my nature.

“Sympathy is fine, but don’t dwell on it too much. Once we complete our task, it’ll resolve itself.”

“...Right. That’s true.”

It was more a reminder of reality than comfort, but the end result is what matters, right?

Seeing the resolute look on Selene’s face, I added one last thing to bolster her spirit.

“You’re not planning to let me die, are you? I’m sure a gentle trainee saintess like you wouldn’t.”

“Of course not. Even if Lady Edel hadn’t said anything, I’d gladly do it. Losing someone as precious as you would be a loss for all of humanity.”

“Strange. I don’t recall asking you to heap on the flattery.”

“Flattery? I’m being sincere.”

I didn’t even need to ask to know who taught her to say such things.

No doubt, it was the person sleeping soundly behind me.

It was still better than being called ugly, but such words didn’t really stir anything in me.

All I thought was, “So, what’s the point?”

“Kana, your ears are red.”

“No, they’re definitely not.”

It must be the campfire making it look that way.

I ignored the warm gleam in Selene’s eyes as she looked at me, her gaze as steady as the crackling flames before us.

“Sorry for waking you up. You want to go back to sleep? We still have a bit of time before dawn. We could even delay our departure if necessary.”

“No, now that I’m awake, it might be nice to greet the new day with the sunrise. But Kana, didn’t you get any sleep at all?”

“I’m a Master, aren’t I? Of course I’ll be fine.”

I exchanged light conversation with Selene as we watched the sun slowly rise.

Although the brilliance of the sunrise was slightly dulled by the miasma blanketing the sky, it wasn’t unpleasant.

As if on cue, we packed up our camp just as Daeun stirred awake, rubbing her eyes.

“You had all this happen, and you didn’t wake me up...!”

Daeun’s whining was a bonus as she learned about the events of the early morning.

After all, it wasn’t our fault she couldn’t wake up.