The Hero’s Brother Is Bound To Be Depressed - Chapter 440



441 – Mormot

How would I react if someone came up to me and badmouthed Luna? Those words all sound like the truth and even in the face of clear, irrefutable evidence, I will definitely be on Luna’s side unconditionally until I hear the truth from Luna’s mouth.

So, hearing about the ugly past of the benefactor who helped me meet Luna and learn what was precious to me didn’t change anything.

“If it weren’t for the food you called affection, I would have died long ago.”

The woman must have realized that my answer was not persuasive, and narrowed her eyes with an annoyed expression.

“… You idiot. I’m not saying it’s a secret trap or anything. It’s all true. Trust me, you’re being led astray by Nelson. “Your destination is the slaughterhouse created by Nelson!”

I looked at her for a moment and smiled bitterly.

“It doesn’t matter. “It’s okay if my end is a slaughterhouse.”

“… what?”

“Nelson died protecting me. Whatever the intention, I am grateful. So I plan to pay it back. Even if it means my life, I don’t care.”

I raised my hand and pointed my thumb at my neck.

“Because I have no intention of avoiding the sword extended by the only person who gave me weight.”

The woman looked at me with an expressionless face and muttered quietly.

“You seem to be under the impression that you are the only one entering the slaughterhouse. Why would Nelson neglect feed that can no longer fatten you? “I feel like an idiot for trusting that person like this, because it feels like I’m seeing my old self.”

Those words put a strain on my shoulders without me realizing it.

“… “What do you mean?”

In response to my question, the woman tapped her lips and smiled happily.

“I told you. I heard a lot about you. I already know why you are struggling and challenging the labyrinth. “I lost something very precious and I’m trying to get it back.”

The corner of the woman’s mouth curled mischievously.

“Nelson forces his opponents to do that. Just as I obediently showed everything I had to the guest without any doubt, you also have a reason to challenge the labyrinth. “Well, isn’t it a coincidence?”

At the mocking question, I unconsciously clenched my fists.

“It was not Nelson who created the reason why I had no choice but to challenge the Labyrinth, but the Church.”

“Haha, why the denomination?”

“… what.”

“Why would the church kill Luna?”

In response to the woman’s question, I reflexively chewed my lip without realizing it. The reason is simple, my only enemy was the church that would destroy the world. It seemed clear that the woman was trying to confuse me.

When I didn’t feel the need to continue the conversation and got up, the woman leaned back completely into the chair and explained in a soft voice.

“Luna may be precious to you, but to the church, she is just a disabled person with one side of her body. Think about it. Is there any reason for the church to kill Luna? The church considers you an apostle? “Rather than destroying something precious to you, we will use it as an opportunity to have a serious conversation for each other.”

“… shut up.”

“As Cassis said. The head of the church said that he should guide the apostle politely so that he could return to the church. Still not sure? The leader considers you more important than Confsion. “Why would a cult leader who wants to recruit you make you lose something precious?”

“… That’s the leader’s trap.”

I could tell that my voice was weak. My heart was shaken by the woman’s words. Even if you don’t think so… It became increasingly plausible that the church had no reason to kill Luna.

The woman got up from the chair and approached me, who was standing still. The woman looked into my eyes, twisted her mouth and whispered quietly.

“Have you ever wondered why Nelson fattens us up and sends us to the slaughterhouse? At first I thought the reason Nelson abandoned me in the church basement was for his own gain. They could easily make a profit by adopting young orphans with high potential to become saints and selling them off. But Nelson was already a great wizard and had enough money and fame. He had no reason to do something like this just to make gold. Then Nelson’s purpose is clear. “Slaughtering the fat cage.”

“… .”

“Then whose mouths do we end up in after being slaughtered?”

The woman slowly stretched out her arm and placed it on my shoulder. The woman leaned her body against me, who was stuck in place as if I had fallen into a swamp, and whispered softly in my ear.

“You’ve known your whole life who Nelson really loves. A monster that will take away everything in your life, and eventually even your very existence. “Your value to Nelson was determined from the beginning.”

The black eyes looking into me were so deep that I felt like I was falling into an abyss. I glared at the woman, clenching my molars so hard that they shook from the pain I felt from the valve of her heart. She said as the woman pulled away from her body and smiled as if she was sighing.

“Come with me. “Get off the path Nelson created and live freely as you are destined.”

“… “I will take care of it.”

As he said that, he pushed away the hand that was stroking my cheek. The woman shook her head with a sad look on her face and said with a smile on her lips.

“Nelson met Bella. I don’t know what conversation she had, but Luna died afterwards. What does this mean… “I don’t think there’s any need to explain.”

“… .”

“The reason I came to see you is because I have sympathy for you. I came here to get advice from my senior in life, telling me not to live like an asshole like me. If you don’t trust me, feel free to doubt my words. Because eventually you will realize that what I say is true.”

After saying those words, the woman turned around. I asked her as she was about to leave her cafe.

“… “What is your name?”

The woman stopped walking at my question and looked at me over her shoulder.

“Mormot.”

***

Ellie did not return home. Instead she visited the only library in Eclipse where she checked out a citizenship guide. She knows that if she leaves Paradise, all her knowledge will be lost, but the very act of learning and realizing new things is a tremendous fulfillment for Ellie and her greatest desire.

True to its name, Paradise, the library was full of dangerous and evil books that could not be found even in the Academy’s library, which contained almost all the books on the continent. There was a devil’s magic book that could not be deciphered, and there was also a customized study book that solved the part where Ellie was stuck.

Ellie, who had been immersed in a book without noticing the passage of time, felt a thirst and hunger she had forgotten as she closed the book she had finished reading for the 13th time. She was reaching for her next book in her desire to discover new knowledge when someone sat across from her in Ellie’s empty spot.

When Ellie saw that there was not a book on the table, but a tray filled with coffee and bread topped with whipped cream, her eyes widened as she unconsciously checked the face of the person opposite her.

“… Ross?”

Ross, with a cool smile, nodded and gently pushed the tray towards Ellie. As Ellie looked around her and asked what was going on with her confused face, Ross smiled and pointed at the pillar behind her. Turning her body, Ellie saw [Eating, talking, and napping freely in the library] written on the sign on her pillar and looked at Ross with a puzzled expression.

“What kind of library is so free?”

“Because it’s a library in paradise. So anything is possible. Even if we scream, other users won’t hear. Didn’t you know there was a nice cafe inside if you went over there? I bought this from there. “Right now, you looked like you were desperate for coffee and bread.”

Ellie, unable to deny Ross’s words, gently pushed the book aside and brought the tray in front of her. When Ellie, who took a sip of her coffee and tasted her bread, looked satisfied, Ross, who had been watching her, smiled happily.

“… thank you. After all, you know me well.”

At Ellie’s words, Ross shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile and motioned for people to eat quickly. While Ellie devoured all of her coffee and bread, she opened the book Ellie was trying to read and Ross tapped her lips before speaking.

“If I were to summarize the contents of this book, it means creating a knot using overlapping techniques. The key is not to shape magical power in a straight line, but to combine it to form a natural curve. “If you know the principles, you will be able to fully understand.”

“… uh?”

When Ellie tilted her head in confusion, Ross let out a small laugh and turned the book around so that Ellie could see it.

“If you look at the example here… .”

After listening to Ross’s catchy explanation, Ellie felt an unfamiliar feeling. For the first time she was learning her magic from Ross. It made her feel strange and strange. Ellie, who had always cared for Ross, had grown up like this before she knew it, smiled happily as she judged that Ross had easily understood the contents of her book thanks to her reaching the truth of magic.

“I found a new teacher. Thanks, Ross! “Tell me something else!”

While saying that, Ellie playfully slapped the back of Ross’ hand, who was holding the book, and his expression gradually hardened.

“… .”

“Ellie, what’s wrong?”

Ellie, who looked at Ross who was looking at her strangely, slowly lowered her gaze and looked at the back of Ross’ hand that was touching her own. Ross, who loves Luna, always pushed Ellie away to get over her belief that he was her crush. Ellie, who was quick to notice that her heart would be shaken against her will once again, pretending not to notice and pushing it away, knew better than anyone else.

So Ellie didn’t cross the line either. He knew how much Ross loved Luna, and he didn’t want to see Ross suffer because of him anymore.

What I did just now was a reaction that came out of my happy heart without realizing it. It was the same instinctive behavior as Ellie, who was filled with satisfaction by looking at Ross, who was delighted by the light touch.

Ellie, regretting her unconscious actions and trying to pull her hands away, felt strange when she saw Ross’s expression. She didn’t frown or make a troubled expression like she usually did at the distant contact. Rather, Ellie felt a strong sense of discomfort at the sight of her with a faint smile. Because if it was the Ross she knew, she would never have reacted like this.

Ellie, who grabbed Ross’s hand, was confident in Ross’s actions of not pulling his hand back.

“… “Who are you?”

That the Ross across from him was not the Ross he knew.