Is That My Alter Ego - Chapter 133



Chapter 133 – The Bend

“Is that… so?”

“I can hardly believe it…”

They moved to Hudi’s home, sipping the warm tea he had offered as they finished their conversation.

At first, both Hudi and Rania wore expressions of disbelief, but soon they broke into gentle smiles.

“This is… the new Espilia, you say?”

“Indeed. I do not know how the lord will view it, but… I take pride in it.”

Having strolled slowly through the village before entering this house, she could see the visage of the new Espilia.

The once-great city, known as the most advanced in the empire, had vanished. The alleys, the main streets, and the squares that had once thrived with new technologies had long since disappeared.

Yet, the absence was not felt. It was only after the brilliant technologies had faded that hope began to swell within the hearts of the people.

“Venis…”

“…Ahem.”

I could see Hudi and Rania exchanging glances, their unease palpable. They seemed worried that I might not take a liking to this village.

Yet, there was no need for such concern. A village stripped of all deceit, arrogance, and greed was bountiful in every way.

Not in the sense of material wealth, of course. Living deep within these mountains, many things must have been scarce, and life would have been a struggle.

Especially for those who had adapted to a more advanced technology, it must have been far more challenging.

“…Why the apprehension? It is such a… beautiful village.”

But perhaps it was precisely because of these deficiencies that the village shone all the more brilliantly.

A hard and toilsome life allowed for a deep appreciation of each moment, and in the face of scarcity, even the smallest joys could bring immense happiness.

Humans and beastfolk, once estranged and filled with hatred, now helped one another, loved one another, and lived in harmony.

Those who had once hurled curses and scornful glances at each other now spoke words of blessing and offered positive gazes.

This scene resembled… perhaps, the idyllic paradise known as Murungdo, before the fall of Espilia.

“Indeed… you are a true lord. It was a needless worry…”

“Venis… you remain unchanged.”

I had merely spoken my thoughts, yet Hudi and Rania gazed at me with reverent expressions, their eyes wide as if beholding a deity.

“By the way, Kali. Are you… alright now?”

“Me? Oh, I’m… fine. With you… Venis by my side.”

“Is that so… what a relief. Your expression has always… resembled that of one facing death.”

Hudi, quietly sipping his tea, turned to Kali as he spoke. The image he described must have been how Kali appeared after I had left.

Upon hearing those words, Kali fidgeted with her fingers, her tone slightly somber.

“Facing death… yes. Every day, every moment, I wished to die, yet I could not.”

“Kali…”

“But now it’s alright. You are here, by my side, aren’t you?”

As she spoke, Kali wore a bright smile, just as she always did, and I returned her gaze with a smile of my own.

Kali’s life had been riddled with too many twists and turns.

The monstrous beings that shattered her happy existence. The past that forced her to change herself to protect her younger sibling.

Days when rest was a luxury she could not afford, and the things that Kalea and I had left behind.

Even as a series of events unfolded that would have driven an ordinary person to madness, Kali remained resilient, still kind-hearted.

Despite the misery and the dominance of hardship in her life, I looked at Kali, who lived with such dignity, and smiled.

“That’s right. We are… together.”

“…Venice.”

The corners of Kali’s eyes begin to glisten as she gazes at my face. It’s as if all that has transpired rushes through her mind, her pupils trembling with the weight of it all.

I take her hand in mine. Despite living in a world that has been so cruel and cold to her, her touch radiates warmth.

“From now on… I won’t leave. Let’s just live with smiles.”

“…..Okay!”

At last. Kali wipes away her tears and pulls me into a tight embrace. Though she has been chipped away and worn down by the harshness of reality,

her warmth still seems to embody an unwavering kindness.

Both Kali and I, we have endured so much. There have been days filled with hardship and sorrow, but…

Our lives have been so tumultuous that now, we can live with but one goal: to seek happiness.

*

We all slowly turned to gaze at Espilia, staring at a statue that seemed to have been struck from the very likeness of my third avatar.

“Wow… this is the third visage of the Master…”

“…I hate to say it, but it looks a bit suspicious.”

“Right? I was quite wary when I first saw it.”

It was simply astonishing how they could replicate it so perfectly, yet each of them regarded the statue with their own intrigue.

…Even I had to admit, it looked like a villain from the shadows. How could one not feel suspicion upon seeing such a figure?

Anyway. Our tour of the village was nearly complete… it felt as if we had finished all that needed to be done.

Perhaps sensing the mood, Hudi looked at me with a hint of reluctance.

“My lord. Are you… leaving now?”

“That’s the plan. But don’t worry! I’ll be visiting here often!”

“Yes. Whenever… you feel inclined, please do come.”

I had only shared my truth with Hudi and Rania. There were many I wished to meet, many conversations I longed to have.

Not just Espilia, but also the Frost Domain in the North. And someday, I would return to the village of Leria in the South.

“Mr. Venice… you must come back!”

“Yes. Rania, take care of yourself.”

“Kali. Please… stay well. I hope you don’t lose that expression.”

“…Grandpa. You take care too. Thank you for looking out for me… Little fox, you take care as well!”

“I’m not a little one! I’m an adult now…!”

As we watched Rania bounce around, her tail wagging wildly, laughter erupted among us.

And so, we left Espilia behind, waving goodbye to Rania and Hudi.

Having traversed this path once before, we quickly arrived at the spot where the automaton carriage was parked.

Once Ariel’s magic unraveled, a brief silence enveloped us as everyone climbed aboard the carriage.

“So… what should we do now?”

“Indeed…”

“Tsk. It’s really all over now.”

We had faced our past connections and emerged unscathed. Yet, what lay ahead was shrouded in uncertainty.

“Venice. Where to next?”

“Um… where should we go?”

Royu, who had remained silent until now, turned to me with a question, but I had no clear answer to offer.

“Then… how about finding a home first?”

“A home…?”

“Yes. We can’t just wander from place to place for the rest of our lives.”

Listening to Ariel, I had to agree. Surely, with their abilities, they could find the finest lodgings and enjoy the best of what this world had to offer, but…

The difference between having a place to return to and not having one was undeniably vast.

“Then shall we discuss where to establish our home?”

With that, the conversation ignited within the halted automaton carriage, sparked by Royu’s suggestion.

Let’s settle in the south. No, the north! The east! Or perhaps just buy the most expensive house in the heart of the empire! Countless opinions clashed fiercely.

In truth… considering the wealth we—no, they—possessed, any of the options presented would have been easily attainable.

Yet, it seemed that deciding on a home was not as simple as it appeared, and we found ourselves debating for longer than expected.

“The south is the best! It’s warm in summer and just chilly enough in winter!”

“…That’s not what warm means. Did you not see Venice? It nearly melted that day.”

“Y-yes, but the north is a different story! If it snows all year round, the commander will lose interest in no time! Do you not remember how you were shivering back then?”

“Oh. Then it’s settled on the east! The weather is just right, and there’s so much to see!”

“Hmm… is that so?”

Each person voiced their opinions, dismissing others as the debate continued, yet no one dared to propose a definitive answer.

“Heh… do you think our discussion holds any meaning, everyone?”

“”……..!””

At that moment, Royu, who had been quietly listening and nodding along, smiled and spoke up.

“No matter how much we debate and share our thoughts, if Venice does not desire it, does it even matter~?”

“W-what!”

“Well… that’s true.”

“Indeed…”

As the matter came to a close, all gazes turned quietly towards me, who had been sitting still.

“Venice~?”

“Y-yes…?”

“Venice, you choose. We… are fine with any place you pick. Right?”

“Uh… um. That’s correct, Captain…”

“If it’s your choice, then…”

“Honestly, I don’t care!”

Thus, the lengthy debate that had dragged on for ages returned to nothingness, and the power of choice was handed over to me, the one who had remained silent.

Truth be told, I didn’t care much either… but I had been pondering about home for a while now.

“Then… how about the West?”

The West. It was the place where I first opened my eyes in this world, the beginning and end of all things.

Though it had once been a land of death, uninhabitable by any living creature, now it had transformed into a land of blessing, leaving only beautiful landscapes behind.

“That… cliffside view. I want to see it with you all every day…”

And above all, the cliff of the West where I had stayed. I longed to gaze upon that scenery, which never failed to move me, no matter how many times I beheld it.

“………”

However… as soon as I voiced that opinion, a quiet silence fell, and they looked at me with slightly sharpened gazes.

Was there something wrong? If so, there was no need to insist on the West…

Swallow.

Hmph…

Haaah…

From noble mtl dot com

Hoo…

Only the sounds of uncertainty echoed within the quiet carriage, and I had to huddle in the corner like a cornered rat, remaining still.

“Ahem… then it’s decided, the West! The location will be… that place from before. Is that alright?”

“….Ahem. Let’s go with that. First, we should stop by the Empire’s center. We’ll need to recruit builders and buy furniture.”

“And… what about that telephone…? I heard it was out recently?”

“Then, should the house be made of reinforced alloy?”

“Isn’t reinforced alloy a bit worrisome? Let’s just build it with mithril.”

“Then with mithril… even if I install various security devices, it might still be lacking, so we’ll need to buy plenty of security artifacts.”

The automatic carriage began to roll slowly amidst the clamor. A journey toward our home!