The Traveling Hero Won’t Let the Innkeeper’s Son Escape

"- Yes."

It was Father Johann, who was in Hashi village, who came out of the room with his voice. Instead of his usual priest clothes, he is wearing less common clothes. The expression was more difficult than when I was with the birds at church.

"Father?

"Zenobia-sama and... that doll..."

That said, the priest comes out and closes the door behind him. Looking down at Ruth in Zenobia's arm, he couldn't say anything.

"You're Ruth, right?

"Yes, do you understand?

"I've heard from Zenobia and Fance about Ruth."

That's why it seems that Ruth wasn't surprised when he looked like this. Not to mention the priest who accepted Cyrus as a doll, so I wouldn't be scared to see Ruth in this figure.

"... you really lost someone."

"Um... why is the priest in Aristotle's room?

Looking at a priest with a sad and regrettable expression, Ruth forcefully changed the subject. He must feel even more pitiful about Ruth's situation because he is more likely to be considered as someone else than he was before. Because I wanted you not to think too much about it.

But the words that came out of the priest fell far short of Ruth's expectations.

"I'm sorry. It is also my sin that you have become so. I'm really sorry. I can't, I'm sorry...."

"Eh, eh? Father?"

The priest did not answer Ruth's question and even apologized. Without noticing the confusion of Ruth, he got on his knees and lowered his head. But before that happens, Zenobia's hand rests on the priest's shoulder.

"Stop it, Johann. Now is not the time to hear your confession. It's time for Alice."

…… That's right. "

In Zenobia's strong words, the priest shook his body for a moment, but when he took a big deep breath, he raised his head again and stared at Ruth.

"I hunted her down. She was just immature... so she won't suffer by herself... now she's not running away."

"Can't escape...?

I felt that Ruth understood the meaning of what he was called here in the words of the priest.

"I'll tell you more... both of you."

The spineless priest opens the door again and passes through Ruth and Zenobia.

The room was bright and lit with lamps, but full of breathtaking moisture and weight. It feels like you're in the water.

"... you're Ruth Braw, right? I think Zenobia told me that I am Aristotle Telesia."

It was the girl sitting on the bed in the middle of the room who called out to Ruth.

Long hair reaching to the pale red knee, two little crying blacks on the right side, a small body. Aristotle Telesia was as well dressed as a doll as she looked in the painting - but the air surrounding her now was heavy. The beautiful face was sad, pale and thin. It's a much more melodramatic atmosphere than the impression I saw in the painting that I'm about to fall down.

(Are you feeling sick... or...)

There were many reasons for Aristotle's unusual appearance, but I decided to keep quiet until I heard from her.

Ruth, transported to Zenobia, sits on a chair placed on the side of the bed. Zenobia stood beside Ruth, and the priest stood beside Aristotle Telesia.

"Nice to meet you, Aristotle. I'm Ruth Braw."

"I don't need it. Please call me Aristotle Telesia.... I'm sorry I called and sat on my bed."

Aristotle lowers her head deeply.

"Come on, don't worry. I've been walking all along for walking training...."

I shouldn't have been able to see you even if you came to the room, I'm glad you called - the air in the room stays heavy, even if you say so bright. The eyes staring at Father and Zenobia's Aristotelian were narrowed so hard that she would never raise her head.

"Ah, look at that head..."

"--I 'm really sorry about this."

Aristotelecia lowers her head even further.

"... we... I just lost my mind and made you look like that. I'm really sorry."

Aristotle's voice was trembling, but it was a firm apology.

(After all, that's it.....)

From Aristotle Telesia's point of view, there's no way I don't care about this. It was no wonder she felt responsible and wanted to see Ruth.

I'm sure you've been asking me when to talk to Ruth. That's why I decided to have Zenobia call me, even though I felt sick enough not to get up from bed.

"Oh, I..."

"Not only that, I... got Alec the brave involved and brought Zagres back to life. It is my responsibility to put the world in such a crisis. It's my fault. I'm... I'm..."

"No, that's...."

After Aristotle Telesia apologized, Ruth tried to intercede, but his voice gradually increased in intensity.

"I really... really apologize! Really, really, really, no more... ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...!

Aristotelecia raised her voice.

Her face, stained with despair and showing tears, was even more painful because she was beautiful.

"I, I, I, I don't want all of it! Because I thought of something extra, and I wanted to wake up quickly, so....! I can't do everything, I'm really sorry, I'm sorry!

It seemed insane to blame myself as I withered my voice and shook my hair and cried. It was the "girl”, not the goddess, who wiped out the adult atmosphere and screamed emotionally.

Alice, stop.

Alice, calm down.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

She apologized many times while being held back by Zenobia and the priest. To Luce, to Alec, to Geo, to people all over the world. I apologized as I cried so many times that it was all my fault.

(Aristotle Telesia....)

I felt that I understood what Zenobia was worried about.

She feels too responsible for what she has done and is mentally limited. If a word is pointed at a malicious person, it is likely to break and break. They must have been on Aristotle's side forever.

(But this doesn't sound strange....)

Aristotle Telesia, known as the Virgin. I don't know what she does, but the fact that her name spreads means that she didn't lack the kindness she deserved to be called a saint.

It's my slightest hope that the world is in danger - and I can't stand it. Even Ruth would feel incredibly responsible if he knew that his slightest desire was afflicting the world.

"Ruth...."

When Ruth was thinking about Aristotle Telesia, a priest left Zenobia to cry.

"You don't know anything. But I think you have a right to know. Why did Alice want Aristotle to be freed from the pillar as soon as possible?"

That's why it was used by Zagres. Her sudden desire to endure the role of a pillar for thousands of years.

"It's... my fault."

"Eh, the priest?

To the unexpected, Ruth shouted.

"I loved Alice, Alice loved me..."

The priest talked to confess.

The priest, who was born in King's Landing, became a superior priest at a young age, and assumed the responsibility of the god Aristotle. At that time, all the superior priests who had received the consecration were old, and the priest, who was twenty years old, was an unusual master.

That was the beginning of everything.

"At first, I understood the word with respect as a god. But gradually I...."

As she exchanged words with Aristotle Telesia, she began to feel that she was not just a god, but a woman of her age. In fact, since Aristotle Telesia was eighteen years old, he was right about the priest.

Twenty-year-old priest and Aristotle Telesia, who became a human pillar at the age of 18 and remained mentally awake at the time. There must have been something we felt for each other.

Increasingly, the ritual of God became a place for conversation between the two, and it was no longer a sacred ritual between God and man. I knew that they were attracted to each other even though they felt a contraindication, even though they could not talk or touch each other.

"... but I was scared at the same time. I wonder if I can forgive myself for loving God in this way, or if I've done something I can't take back."

If the priest is serious, it is not strange to think so.

At that time, Aristotle senses the power of the brave (Alec) only slightly.

Until now, heroes could not be discovered without falling into their first state of awakening. As a result, they had reached a certain age. But the person I found this time is still four years old. Aristotle tells me this is the first time something like this has happened and how important it is.

When the priest reported Aristotle's story, he immediately decided to discuss it in the upper echelons of the church. As a result, it became necessary to protect or observe the immature person, and someone was sent from King's Landing to Hashi Village.

"I was worried about my relationship with Alice... and I ran for that role. He left King's Landing cowardly and without telling Alice anything."

Ruth looks at Aristotle who continues to cry in Zenobia's arms.

(When the priest talked about Aristotle in church, he felt very friendly. That's what happened....)

That's not all. The village chief Bartolo also told me about the priest's strange career. Originally in King's Land, he had received the divine divinity, he suddenly came to Hashi Village about fifteen years ago, he was a competent priest who was not originally in a small village like Hashi Village.

I have also heard the name "Alice" from the priest himself.

"... I wanted to get old together. Even when I was meeting him, Johan was getting older without me. And yet, if you go to a place where you can't hear your voice, you'll lose someone you care about without knowing... and think," I want to go to Johann. I couldn't stop wanting to be freed from the role of the pillar '.... "

Aristotle's little grunt pierced Ruth's chest.

How painful is it that only people who care about themselves can grow old and watch them die?

"Alice, it's natural to think so. You were in a better position to talk to people, and you had a greater spiritual burden... so don't blame yourself any more."

"Ah, why!

Aristotle rises suddenly and bursts into Zenobia's arms. But Zenobia was stronger, so he just got caught and went wild.

"Why is everybody trying to show me that you've done this!? Why!? If I had stayed strong, this wouldn't have happened, but Ruth would have lost her face, Alec the Brave would have been absorbed by Zagres, Zagres would have been resurrected, alien creatures would have come, the city would have been attacked, people would have been injured, and people would not have died! Why don't you blame me if I can't do everything!?

In Aristotle's words, I found out why she suffered the most.

Of course, there are a lot of people in the world who blame Aristotle for this.

But the people on Aristotle's side didn't try to blame her. It's obvious when you listen to Zenobia and the priest.

That's because when I was in the same position, I wondered if I'd ever been able to fulfill even my thoughts, and I decided it would be difficult.

Ruth was the same. Will you be able to stop for a thousand years for the peaceful life of people and stay without wishing for anything? Can you not grieve for yourself that you can only watch your loved ones die?

--I 'm sure you'll wish, "I want to be free from the pillar."