The Villain Wants to Live Quietly

Special Chapter. On the road to walk, look back on the road you have walked (6) [complete]

The temple of Goddess Hypresia was like a picture, unchanged despite the passage of nearly 20 years.

If there was one thing that had changed, it would be that the guards at the entrance of the temple were not armed, but were wearing plain clothes like ordinary believers.

As soon as the Ipretzes saw them, they recognized the role at once.

That would also be the case, because next to them was a silver box containing something like a pure white veil.

“From now on, you can only go there by wearing the tabernacle.”

“Yes, please.”

As expected, their role was to cover the tabernacle.

The believers, each holding a tabernacle in their hands, stood in front of Ludwig and Emilia, respectively.

After receiving the tabernacle from a believer of the same sex, each of them took a step back after reciting a prayer-like word according to the precepts.

“Next, I would like to ask my daughter as well.”

“Oh, it was your daughter. Because she looked young, I only thought she was my younger sister.”

“hahahaha, thank you.”

The male believer glanced at Ludwig and Emilia’s faces with surprised eyes and couldn’t help but exclaim.

Even if you look closely at Anise, it looks like she’s around fifteen or seventeen at most, but her two parents only looked like they were in their early thirties.

At least Ludwig was on the better side, but Emilia, who had been trained through mana training, really looked like Anis and sisters.

Rather, it would be strange to not be surprised.

“Your daughter can come over here.”

“Yeah… Now, thank you.”

After completing Emilia’s procedure, the female believer called Anis to herself.

It was the first time Anise had ever been to such a religious place, so she seemed nervous and somewhat trembling.

It was because I was afraid that if I made a mistake here, it would be a big problem.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s just an ordinary procedure to meet the Goddess.”

“oh… Yeah.”

A female believer who noticed this while putting on the tabernacle said something to ease her tension.

Eventually, a white cloth was placed on Anis’s head as well, and after reciting all the prayers as before, Anis was successfully released.

“You are done. May the blessings of Goddess Hypresia be with you.”

“ah… ! Ha, let’s be together.”

When the scene of the believer passing by with Emilia belatedly came to mind, Anis hurriedly replied and lowered her head.

The Ipretz couple, who watched this happily, were able to enter the temple with their daughter.

“Ugh, I’m kind of embarrassed.”

When the voices could no longer reach the believers who had covered the tabernacle, Anise let out a small sigh and drooped her shoulders.

He wasn’t even a kid——actually, he was still a kid enough——at least to that extent, and he remembered the scene where he was embarrassed and embarrassed.

“At first it was like that. Still, you managed to say goodbye at the end.”

“If I hadn’t seen what Mom was doing, I would have been dumbfounded. It was fortunately out of misfortune.”

“Huh, my daughter learns quickly by watching.”

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Just seeing Ludwig’s swordsmanship made him imitate it easily.

Even in that situation, it was a good enough improvisation to instantly recall Emilia’s answer and put it into practice.

“More than that, there’s something creepy here.”

Anis, who followed the two inside, looked around and trembled slightly.

Except for the three people talking, not even a small sound could be heard, and the only decorations around were stone statues, pillars, and oil lamps.

Besides, there wasn’t much light coming in, so the overall atmosphere was a bit dreary.

At least, Anis felt that the atmosphere was not suitable for the temple of Hypresia, the goddess of peace.

“This dad also thought of that when he first came. Isn’t it a bit dark?”

“Yes, I thought it would be brighter and more glamorous because it is a place that enshrines the goddess Hypresia.”

After all, it was like entering the house of a goddess, but Anis spoke out her opinion without hesitation.

After going inside like that, the space where Emilia had drenched herself in holy water before meeting the goddess appeared.

Ludwig cautiously approached the place, scooped up holy water, and finished washing his face by wiping every nook and cranny, including under his ears and neck.

It was him, not Emilia, who was meeting Hypresia today.

“Now, shall we go in?”

And finally, after soaking the tabernacle with holy water, lightly brushing it off, putting it on his head, Ludwig moved from the front to the inside.

Unlike the narrow streets outside, the spacious interior was waiting for them as it was back then, with a stone statue of Goddess Hypresia.

Three torches placed in front and an altar made of silver in front of them.

Ludwig, who had been watching this, strode forward and took out the offerings he had brought from his bag and put them on top.

“Dad, what is that?”

Anise, who had never seen such a process, asked cautiously, keeping her voice as low as possible.

“It is an offering to God. You used to like beef jerky.”

“The Goddess likes beef jerky… Something is strange.”

“right? Even this dad was surprised at first.”

After all, if you are a goddess, there is such a thing as an imaginary drawing.

However, the first encounter with Hypresia boasted an overwhelming sense of separation that shattered all of Ludwig’s imaginations.

Who would have imagined a goddess sitting on the bare floor and chewing on beef jerky?

“We will wait over there, Ludwig. Call me when the story is over.”

“I know.”

While facing God, no one should be touched.

That’s why Emilia went to a corner with Anise, not wanting to get in the way.

Hwareuk.

For some reason, Ludwig felt as if the flame of the torch in front of him had grown even larger, but he tried to ignore it and knelt down in his seat, holding his hands together.

I didn’t set a specific date, but I thought that we could meet today because I told her to come with me someday when the child is born.

‘yes?’

As Ludwig closed his eyes and waited for a response from the goddess, something warmly embraced him.

A slightly different texture from the softness of a blanket or pillow.

If I had to express it, Ludwig widened his eyes at the sensation of a warm cloud covering his body.

I wondered if it was Hypresia’s harmony, but I still couldn’t hear her voice.

‘Are you trying to manifest by borrowing Emilia’s body again?’

It’s a very probable story.

Come to think of it, she had never appeared in person before, because she had borrowed the body of Emilia, who had always been by her side.

Wondering if that was the case today as well, Ludwig opened his closed eyes and moved his gaze to the two people in the corner.

“Lu, Ludwig.”

“Oh, Dad.”

“… … ?”

Standing there were Emilia and Anis, who were pointing in the direction of him with quite bewildered faces.

Although it was pointing directly above his head.

“Something… appeared.”

‘It appeared?’

At Emilia’s muttering, Ludwig widened his eyes and explored the surroundings.

Then I saw a group of lights floating above my head.

It wasn’t a very bright light, but it was enough to illuminate the room, which was barely lit by a torch.

As Ludwig stared blankly at the scene, the group of lights gradually lowered their altitude and eventually came down to his eye level.

Then, as if telling me to catch it, he swayed and showed off his figure.

‘Are you asking me to take it?’

Ludwig waited for the light to come with his hands spread out neatly as if in response to the request.

In response, the group of lights carefully fell onto Ludwig’s hand, and eventually revealed its true form.

“… Walloohwa?”

What was placed there was none other than a single flower.

Ludwig tilted his head as he held the name of the flower he could never forget.

Why did this appear at this point?

If Hypresia sent it, why did it send just one flower like this instead of appearing in person?

While various questions appeared in Ludwig’s head, a small note tied to the end of a flower stem caught his eye.

“Emilia, would you like to come over here with Anise?”

“Yeah… … .”

For some reason, he felt that he shouldn’t be alone, so he hurriedly called Emilia.

Eventually, as the two approached, Ludwig briefly explained to her the existence of the Walloo Flower and the note tied to the end.

“then… Goddess Hypresia gave this flower?”

“I don’t know either. I think it might have been written on this note.”

That means you have to unfold it eventually.

After exchanging glances with Emilia, he gulped and sighed as he untied the tightly tied knot.

When I opened it, a very small piece of paper appeared. A piece of paper so small that it couldn’t contain even a few messages.

“ah… … .”

“Ludwig, this is… … ?”

Ludwig let out a low exclamation as soon as the content contained in it caught his eye.

Belatedly, Emilia also confirmed the contents and looked at him as if asking him for details.

What was written there was quite simple.

‘Finally, eat well and go. Be well.’

Somehow, if Rebecca were to write a parting letter, it would feel like this is a concise phrase.

In the meantime, what stood out was the word ‘last’.

“Dad! Jerky is gone!”

“… … !”

Soon after, Ludwig’s eyes were opened to the size of a lantern at the report of Anis, who looked over the altar where the offerings were placed.

Even after washing my eyes and looking again, the jerky was really gone.

So, did he really show up here in person, take all his tribute, and leave behind this letter?

‘It’s the last time.’

Ludwig had no idea what that last word meant.

Is the existence of a goddess disappearing from this world?

Or does she exist, but the means for the Ipretz family to see her again are gone?

But one thing was certain: this was her own encouragement.

The reason why he told them to visit this place again when there is anise was probably to bless them for their future before parting.

Even though we can’t meet face to face, we can’t even convey it in words.

At least, as the person who brought him here, he probably wanted to save face.

In the meantime, it was truly hers to take away the offerings.

“Emilia, what was the message Goddess Hypresia told me to convey to the believers earlier?”

“Um… ‘The future belongs to you. Don’t be complacent and live your life.’ You mean this?”

“… It was.”

Why did he tell me to tell all the believers that word?

With a little thought, Ludwig was able to find the answer.

Even if they couldn’t meet them again, it must have been like a goddess who wanted to leave her sincere advice.

If that’s the case, then it should be done according to that wish.

With that thought in mind, Ludwig wrapped his arms around the shoulders of his wife and daughter and turned away from the statue.

‘Goodbye.’

It seemed that such a voice came out of nowhere, but he did not look back and left the temple.

I wanted to express my gratitude that I was able to be happy because of the life you created, but it was regrettable that we parted ways without being able to convey that.

‘Thank you.’

Ludwig moved on, expressing his gratitude to the goddess who would not be heard.

Perhaps the reason she disappeared was to throw a maxim to them not to live while being bound by something.

If I had met her again today, I might have enjoyed the joy of the reunion, but I might not have been able to erase the thought that this world was created by someone else.

“Emilia.”

“Yeah?”

“When I go back, shall we take the parents of both families and talk about the old days after a long time?”

When Ludwig’s eyes returned to their original state, Emilia, who faced them, gave a surprised expression for a moment, then showed a faint smile.

“Whoops, good. Your father will be very pleased.”

“I want to hear it too! Preferably the story before Dad met Mom!”

“yes? One day won’t be enough.”

When the side agreed that anise was good, Ludwig smiled happily and left Astepor with the two of them.

The thought of wanting to share his old story that he had been hiding so far came to mind.

This must also be the change she made when she left. With that thought in mind, he mounted the horse and grabbed the reins with a flushed expression.