CH 109

Chapter 109

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : The Fairy And Great Beasts Of The Prairie, Part 19 — Tears of the Spirit

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

Alfiris and company drove their horses selflessly. The distance was 600 kilometers. Even though the horses’ speed and endurance were extraordinary, they still needed to rest, and by the time they eventually rode 600 km to the east of the cave, more than a full day had already passed.

But even though the prairie is coming to an end, it’s still storm season, and the group decided to take a break around the exit to watch the storm as well. The group are taking turns to nap but Alfiris noticed Aerial was nowhere to be seen.

「Aery, did you guys see Aery?」

「No, I didn’t saw her.」

「She’s outside, I guess?」

Alfieres heads outside to the crag. The time is already night, but strangely enough, it’s strangely bright.

After strolling for a while in search of Aerial, Alfiris found her high up on a rocky outcrop and climbed up to it. However, Aerial didn’t seem to look back at Alfiris, and Alfiris was unable to call out to her.

Alfiris suddenly looked at the view of the prairie and saw that the western sky was bright, or rather, red.

「The sky…… is red?」

「That was Father’s flame.」

Aerial replies with a stare at the western sky. Alfiris sat down beside Aerial and peeked at her gently, tears streaming down her eyes.

「Aery…… are you alright?」

「Yes, I’m alright.」

But Aerial didn’t wipe the tears from her cheeks, and her eyes were glued to the western sky. Alfiris gazed at the sky together, searching for words.

「That flame…… Was that from Phalanx?」

「Yes, Father is the Flame Beast after all. He said he could use magic because of his old friendship with a Flame Spirit. But he can hardly use simple magic, and if he can, it’s only with magic-grade power. He said the price for exercising it too was his life. He laughed at how inconvenient it was.」

「…that being the case,」

「Yes, Father is dead.」

「…………I see.」

Aerial says it simply. But although the moment when she said it sounded bland, Alfiris knew that she had gone through various struggles before she came up with those words, so she dared not say anything.

Alfiris waits for Aerial’s next words. However, there is no word from Aerial, and her tears continue to flow. Alfiris wondered if she should say something, but Aerial, perhaps sensing the situation, spoke first.

「I’m sorry Alfie, I know you’re worried about me.」

「No, I’m…… I’m sorry I couldn’t help.」

「No, I am glad that Alfie is with me.」

Aerial smiled at her. Although her smile looked lonely, it never lost its freshness like the wind on the prairie. Her tears were still flowing, though.

「Father had…」

「Yes?」

「Father had told me that he would eventually die. Not only himself, but all living things must die, and when we die, we return to the wind… Death must be very close to us in this world where the law of the weak and strong, and Father would have lived a long time ago.」

「You noticed that…」

「Yes, I’m not slow either. I noticed it a long time ago.」

Just as Phalanx had predicted. Even though they were not real parents and children, there still seemed to be a deep connection between them.

「When I realized that my father’s death was near, I thought. Do I want to avenge him, or do I not want him to die… Strange, even though I hated him so much. But strangely enough, I recall both Mother and Father, Phalanx saying the same thing …」

「…What is it?」

「『Everything is as the wind blows,』they said… eventually, everything will return to the wind. Life, honor, anger, sorrow… surely tears will return too. So I cry now without stopping… but strangely enough, there is something I don’t want to return」

Alfiris gasps. Aerial is biting her lip so hard that blood is flowing.

「Aery…what is that you don’t want to give back?」

「…My anger.」

「…To what?」

「…That man…」

「Eh? But he’s…」

「That man is still alive…」

Blood trickled from Aerial’s lips. But Alfiris, too, was more concerned about the blood that flowed, and her question came first.

「Impossible… With a magic on that scale? How do you know?」

「The wind told me… he must be alive. The one who killed Father.」

「That’s absurd…」

「It seems that it was… What in the world did he do to him? Father fed on many lives to live as the beast that he was. He once attacked a village as an example to maintain order on the prairie. But what have he done to him? All Father wanted was to end his life quietly… I am not convinced. I loathe that guy and I want to kill him with my own hands right now. But…」

Aerial stares at her hand. Her hands are writhing and shaking.

「I am afraid … that I won’t be able to defeat him, whom even Father could not manage. I’m not afraid of being killed, yet I’m afraid of not being able to do anything.」

「Aery…」

「My hands shake just thinking about going in front of him… How speculative I am. I never thought I was so weak. I was utterly pathetic… to think that this was the daughter of the Flame Beast, the Lord of the Prairie…」

「…」

「And… I can’t stop crying. It came flooding in later and later… I wonder if this sadness can ever really be healed. Tell me, Alfiris.」

「I…」

Alfiris thought to herself. The grief of losing her mentor has not completely healed. It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t resent the fact that she was forced to leave her home. But even so, she’s able to smile. She believes that it must be thanks to the various people who support her. She didn’t shudder to think what would have happened if Lisa and Miranda had not been there.

「I think… people can live because there are all kinds of people. What I couldn’t do alone, I have family, friends, lover… I don’t have a lover, but I have made many friends on this trip. So maybe Aery can rely on us more, too, I guess? It’s okay to cry alone, but don’t think it’s okay to complain to us or take it out on us… I’m not sure if I’m conveying it well enough with this.」

「Rely… on… people…?」

Alfiris is scratching her head. Aerial stared at Alfiris with a blank expression for a while… then smiled a little and stood up quickly.

「Then… can I ask one thing of you…?」

「Okay, but… what are you going to do?」

「No, just stay the same … and never look back at me. Don’t tell anyone what I say here either. Keep it to yourself Alfie.」

「? …Got it.」

「…Thank you.」

Then Aerial put her forehead against Alfiris’ back with a knack. Then she squeezed her back, and her hand trembled slightly.

「Father… Father… Why, why did you leave me… Everyone is selfish! My real Father, my Mother, everyone in my village… my father Phalanx, you’re all going to leave me… Please don’t leave me alone… I hate being alone… I don’t want to be alone… I am not that strong, I am not that strong…」

「Aery………」

「I… wanted my father to be alive in any way possible… In the end, my heart was not strong enough to hate the avenger of my parents… On the contrary, I was so moved by my avenger, that I felt affection for him as if he were my own family… But I can’t die with him, and I’m so scared of him… I don’t know what to do, I don’t even know what I am supposed to do…… uugh, kuuhh…… uwaaaaaghhh……」

Aerial never raised her voice loudly, but she cried as she grabbed Alfiris’ back. To be honest, Aerial was quite forceful, and Alfiris felt pain in her back, but she was very reluctant to mention it.