Eternal Elysium

Elda remained silent as we all walked through the streets. Albert glanced at her, then at me, before asking.

"So, when do you plan to leave?"

"Maybe tomorrow evening…"

"I see." Albert muttered, kicking an empty can on the road. It struck the wall after flying through the air and rolled away.

Elda sighed, making my gaze fall on her.

"It was bound to happen. We had expected it, Albert. There is no point in being sad." She said with a small smile and started walking ahead with quick steps.

"What do you plan on doing with Silverwill? Should we disband it?"

Her words came like a sharp knife. She didn't hesitate to come clean and abandon all her hard work. But I knew it was all just an act from the trembling of her hands. Albert watched us and sighed, his words calm and collected as he said.

"I am sure Boss is not planning on doing that. So think calmly, Elda. Even if we are sad about him leaving, are you going to let him go like this? By making him sad?"

"Haa… I am not saying that, Albert. I am only asking a question." Elda replied instantly without hesitation, her eyes then locking with mine, showing a turmoil of emotions present behind them—sadness, loss, confusion, and even some that I couldn't tell at all.

"Everything will go as it always had. Elda, Albert. I hope you two will take care of things like you have always done. I will come back one day or another. I am not leaving forever, you know?" I said, smiling amused at their reaction.

"Why do you need to leave?" Elda asked, smiling, and took two steps back, turning around and not looking back.

"To get answers." I said simply, as we all continued to walk again towards our shared home.

I once again realized the play was a really bad choice. I should have chosen something else to do tonight and avoided that thing altogether.

Sigh...

"You really look troubled now, boss... Are you really sad to separate from us?" Albert teased, hitting my back.

I didn't resist as he jerked back his hand, hurt by his own stupidity. I was bigger than him and even an awakened. I was stronger than him in every possible way a human could be.

Staring at him for a second, I chuckled before shaking my head.

"Nope, I am not. Work hard, Albert, and I will keep my promise with you, don't worry. I still remember what I had said to you." I said, a little worried, not knowing if I could really keep my word this time or not.

He looked at me in shock, a little emotional. He probably thought I had forgotten what I said in the hospital regarding his sister.

"N-No, boss, you don't need to really. It's alright." Albert said, his words stuck on his throat.

"Don't worry, I have also not forgotten it!" Elda exclaimed, her voice louder than before. She twirled back and said with a confident expression. "I am also secretly assembling people to gather information regarding you and your sister! Might as well catch those bastard parents!!"

"Ah," Albert gasped, overwhelmed by hearing our words. His lips suddenly curled up into a grin as he nodded. "If you both say so. Let's beat their asses next time I see them."

I blinked, a little shocked over his sudden change in behavior.

No, maybe the most shocking part is how easily the topic was changed from me leaving to searching for Albert's family.

"I will hold you to that promise, boss." Albert said with a firm nod, his eyes shimmering slightly.

I gave a firm nod in return and smiled.

'Looks like I was worried for no reason, huh?' I thought and turned to look at Elda, who smiled bashfully in return. I could easily tell it was a forced smile, but somehow maybe I had fooled myself into believing it was real.

I wondered how such things became so hard to tell. It was not my first goodbye, nor will it be my last. I had spent a fair share of time with Liber and the others, even going through life and death together. But maybe the small time of two months spent here—with them—was equal to the time spent in my village. Parting with the village was even harder, but in the end I had left that place, so I needed to do the same here as well.

"I will try my best… That's all I can say right now." I whispered unknowingly to myself, feeling my lips curl up into a genuine smile as I moved forward alone.

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The tension was unmistakably palpable in the air as we finally reached our home. After the last talk, no one seems to have anything left to say. Everyone remained silent and entered the house with slow steps.

Elda and Albert nodded toward me, their eyes not meeting mine.

I sighed and said in a calm voice, walking toward the stairs.

"Good night."

***

'How come I just stared at the ceiling the whole night? Is it even remotely possible to not sleep after getting that tired mentally last night?'

I was truly baffled by this as I stared at the sky mindlessly for some moments, my eyelids growing heavy. I walked past through the crowd and reached Castor's bar as a bell rang inside.

Castor stared at me for a few seconds and grinned in my direction as he greeted me.

"Well, well, look who has finally shown up!" He said excitedly, unknowing I smiled back and reached for the chair not far and sat down on it.

"Sorry for coming late, I guess…" I said, leaning back on the chair and placing my hand on the round table beside me. Several things were left to deal with, and the number of tasks I can give to Elda and Albert is limited. It was not a matter of reliability or how good they could work but rather ethics.

The soaps worth hundreds of thousands were still stored under Greath's inn. I needed to make them reach Elda and Albert legally now that everything has been dealt with.

I stared at Castor for a moment and thought, choosing my words carefully.

"Castor, can you bring some laborers and cut the soap bars in half?"

Castor frowned.

"I can, but why do we need to do that? Selling a full soap bar will be more profitable."

I sighed and tapped my fingers on the table before saying calmly.

"While that's true, you are forgetting that the soap is not ours. If the people who originally made these found even proof that it was made by them, legal actions are possible. So, it's better just to cut them in half and sell them at a price a little lower than the original. This way we can earn more and avoid any issues."

Castor nodded but then said in a curious voice, his eyes narrowing in doubt.

"That would have made sense if Temple didn't know about this already. So what's to fear? You can manage it, right?"

"They indeed know about the robbery, but just to be safe still do it. I am going to leave soon, the city, and I mean for a long time. I don't know when I will come back, so I hope you can deal with everything else." I said seriously, my words clearly depicting my own predicament.

Seeing me not say anything else for a few seconds, Castor sighed and leaned back on the counter, his hands crossing over his chest. "Leaving, huh? Well, that's sad to hear, really. But it was bound to happen one day or another. Don't worry, I will make sure your request is done." He said a small ripple of emotion was clearly visible in his eyes.

I sighed in relief and said back with a smile. "Thanks, I will rely on you a little longer then."

"Where are you going, by the way?"

"Kalista, I will be leaving tonight."

Castor nodded, not asking any more questions.

"Kalista, huh? That's not a good place to go. But I am sure you have your reasons."

"I will manage." I said and stood up from my seat, ready to leave.

"Thank you for everything till now, Castor."

"Just come back alive, and we will call it even. I can't have my money maker die on me." Castor said, leaning forward, his voice small, unlike before.

As I was about to reach for the door, I turned back, looking at the same place I had come several times over the month.

"Goodbye to you as well…" I whispered under my breath, a small laugh escaping my lips.

There were several places I needed to visit and things I needed to give.

As I continued passing through familiar places one after another, I realized that maybe not all places were that important to me and can be left as they were. No need to disturb everyone's life. Unlike me, who was feeling a bond with everyone like an innocent child, others were not the same as me. They all have to deal with a busy life with no point in being sentimental over it.

"Let's just roam around one last time." I said to myself and sped up.

Time quickly started to pass by as I moved from one place to the other.

During this time I had decided to refrain from giving the last healing potion to Temple and instead decided to give them all the diluted ones. This was all given to Franz, and I had already told him their effect. If all the diluted ones are taken in bulk, there is a high chance to recover health just like Elda, but this decision lies solely on Franz's shoulders on who he wishes to use it on now.

In the early stages of getting those potions, I had been way too suspicious and wasted several of them on experimenting with them. But I guess they can finally be of use to someone. After all, the diluted potion alone can only recover essence and heal minor injuries. That was useless to me, as with time my recovery speed of origin has been tremendously improved.

'At least I got the sword back and one more artifact in exchange.'

I smiled thinking as such and enjoyed the rest of my day with Elda and Albert.

I still had not forgotten to tell Elena and the others in Silverwill about my departure, but who would have thought Elena would end up in tears?

'Really, that was quite an unexpected situation for us.'

I smiled, already feeling nostalgic remembering that scene.

Reassuring her I would come back was hard, but it was neatly handled by Elda.

The sun was about to set as the moon was coming clear through the clouds. I reached for the suitcase on the ground and grabbed it.

My time here was sadly over, and it was about time to move. Elda and Albert watched me carefully before giving me a hug. Feeling warmth coming from both sides, I wrapped my hands around them and smiled back as my suitcase fell from my hand.

"Take care, idiot." Elda said, her eyes red and moist from tears falling down her face.

"You too… Elda Don't work too hard; take a rest from time to time. Albert, don't drink too much now that I am not here to see you." I said, my voice filled with warmth and emotions. Unlike the joyful goodbye with Anny and the others, this one has taken an emotional turn.

"Boss, don't get yourself killed. You are reckless; you need to keep your promise, so please come back alive." Albert spoke, his head down on my shoulder.

Their lives have changed a lot by now.

I couldn't see the man drowning in debt anymore.

I also couldn't see the woman who had lost all hope in life and was ready to kill herself.

"No promises on that…"

I said as they finally let go of me. I grabbed my suitcase once again as the train steam engine whistle resounded in the station, ready to leave.

I turned around, walking away, and did not turn back to see their faces as I finally boarded the train. With a small jerk, it started making me stumble on my steps as I reached my seat and sat down on it.

"...Finally time to leave." I muttered under my breath and leaned back on the makeshift bed of the train, closing my eyes.

—X—X—

End of volume 3 [Song of forgotten stories.]

Next Volume 4 [Road to Nowhere].