There were many branching paths.
No signposts, no guides, but I could instinctively sense what lay at the end of each road.
‘Did every knight stand at this crossroads?’
With that thought, I stood motionless at the fork, gazing into the distance. An endless horizon stretched before me.
As I stared blankly down the roads, lost in thought, a faint voice was carried on the wind.
《Reach the end, and you shall be reborn as you desire. A life of abundance shall begin, guaranteed with a loving family and prosperity beyond compare—what greater rest could there be?》
A long red carpet unfurled upon the first path, which had been empty. At its end stood a splendid mansion, and the sound of happy laughter drifted from beyond the walls.
Some sort of banquet seemed to be taking place inside, with what looked like flower petals occasionally swirling up into the sky.
So, what awaited at the end of that path was the beginning of a fairy-tale life. I averted my gaze without needing to see more.
Then, the voice rang out once more.
《Or perhaps you may gain the chance to return to the moment you desire and change everything.》
The second path was dyed blue. It was a mysterious, dreamlike light. Fireflies, as if a galaxy had been transplanted, twinkled and captured my gaze.
《To reclaim everything at the time and place of your choosing and craft a perfect conclusion—that would indeed be a most comfortable rest.》
To think it could send me back to the past—such power was truly remarkable. I suppose this is what divine power is like.
Though I watched the path with a wry smile tugging at my lips, I did not take a single step.
Was I mad, to go back to the past? I had no desire to endure that hardship twice, nor to face again the visages of humans I had barely shaken off.
Just as I felt a violent surge of revulsion, a warm breeze blew from the third path.
《All is meaningless. Deep slumber is the absolute and perfect peace.》
A smooth, white marble path stretched straight ahead. At its end was a pure white door.
《My poor child, at last you may lay down all your heavy burdens and surrender to tranquil death—why do you hesitate?》
Was that end eternal death? Not rebirth, nor regression.
Suddenly, I recalled the memory of when I mounted the scaffold. The day I resigned myself to everything, silently listening to the condemnations hurled at me, and offered my neck.
The priest had asked if I had any last words, and I had answered then.
“……O God, have mercy.”
《I grant you the most perfect and complete rest. It is enough to simply rest in peace.》
As if in answer to my murmur, the voice came again on the wind.
Rest in peace. That was the most perfect and complete rest.
Frankly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t tempted. At that end, there would be nothing to torment me, and I would never again be hindered by any troublesome things.
But that was all.
Having nothing also meant that while there was nothing I disliked, there was also nothing I liked.
I slowly took a step back.
The three radiant paths before me were tempting, but my heart inclined toward none of them.
《Birth tormented you—how could it be fitting to rely on his power to continue life!》
The wind wrapped around me. Sweeping back my fluttering hair, I turned without a trace of hesitation.
There was no path, yet I began to walk aimlessly. The three shining paths grew distant behind me.
The wind blew incessantly at my back.
《To cast everything aside and be born anew is enough—this is truly foolish attachment.》
《How can the final power belong to you alone? Your choice will greatly affect all lives who have deferred their rest.》
《If you choose, swayed by illusory emotions, you must live out your remaining life relying on a monstrous shell.》
《This is the final chance. No more will such miraculous power be exercised for anyone—you must be prudent.》
The wind whispered ceaselessly in my ear. The more it did, the wider my strides became.
《How pitiable. The poor knights, having regained their proper souls, will open their eyes as Monsters because of you.》
At those words, which felt like a threat, my steps halted abruptly.
As if sensing I was being persuaded, the voice incessantly tried to guide me back toward the three shining paths.
《Surely you do not wish for them to remain in their monstrous forms. If you relinquish your attachment, their rest too shall become perfect.》
“That means……”
I licked my dry lips and smiled faintly.
“My knights wish to remain on this earth, even in their Monster forms.”
The Dullahans, who had vanished before my eyes so I couldn’t know what became of them, are at that shining crossroads, deferring their own rest and waiting for me.
If I remain, they too will remain.
“Past or future, I need none of it.”
They want me to choose the present.
A fierce wind struck my back as if to whip me. Yet I stood firm and raised my head. Staring fiercely into the empty, featureless sky, I retorted savagely.
“I’m going back.”
I’ll travel with my precious ones, eating pastries.
“So, goddess or whatever, get your hands off me now and disappear.”
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, the world remained unchanged.
It was still filled with all manner of loathsome things, and humans with fire in their eyes, eager to use me, were scattered everywhere.
The only consolation was that having been resurrected once, I could handle things a bit more skillfully this second time.
The first thing I did upon opening my eyes was pick up a scrap of cloth lying around and wrap it tightly around my head and face.
The place where I awoke was a remote corpse disposal ground, typically used by the Empire to discard the bodies of criminals.
It was also the very place where I had been left after my execution.
“No matter how detestable, to treat a person like this……”
I swallowed my complaint and closed my mouth.
Looking around just in case, it seemed the divine power had completely vanished.
The scar on my neck remained, but judging by how I staggered after walking just a little, my once remarkably sturdy stamina seemed to have been taken away.
[Gasp, a living human!]
[Yikes! Run away!]
As I was examining my limbs, I instinctively turned my head toward the source of the sound. I saw several gray rats dragging their long tails as they quickly hid themselves.
Ah, it seems even this mad ability to communicate with all things hasn’t disappeared.
I got up to leave this place first. Whether the goddess had thrown me down when sending me back, my whole body ached.
Groaning, I barely managed to stand, holding my throbbing head as I let out a sigh.
“Some rest this is.”
From the very start, the path of hardship is laid out all too clearly.
* * *
The ring communication device I shared with Xenon was broken.
Amidst it all, it was almost laughable that the Roam ring containing my assets was perfectly intact.
At this point, I was beginning to doubt Dekin’s skills, but I couldn’t confront him about it immediately. More important was recovering my body.
Because my stamina had deteriorated miserably, I couldn’t recklessly set out on a journey like before.
So, I rested at a nearby inn, planning my next steps.
‘The ultimate destination is still Veladia Castle, of course.’
Xenon would be anxiously waiting for me at Veladia Castle, so I should depart as soon as my body recovers somewhat.
‘It would be nice if I could contact him right away.’
Fiddling with the completely non-functional communication ring, I felt acutely alone.
Somehow, I recalled the first time I was resurrected on the scaffold. Back then, I had set off aimlessly without a destination; now I had a clear destination, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was similar.
Perhaps it was because I knew I had to find and gather the Dullahans again on the way to the castle.
Tapping my knee with my index finger in thought, I glanced out the window.
This was the capital. After all, the corpse disposal ground was near the execution grounds, and those grounds were located on the outskirts of the capital.
‘Given that I awoke here, the Dullahans probably aren’t at Veladia Castle either.’
It was more likely they were waiting for me at the place where I first gathered them.
I didn’t think I could reunite with all the Dullahans. I couldn’t be sure if they would wait for me, or even remember me.
But I decided to set out to find them nonetheless.
Having done it once before, the second time should be easier.
“Hey, you, the brown rat. You there.”
[Huh? Me?]
“Yes, you.”
I stared directly at the mouse hole in the corner of the inn room and spoke.
A rat cautiously poked its head out from beyond the hole and sniffed in my direction.
“I want to ask you something.”
[Huh?]
“Do you have many friends?”
At the imperial palace, it was Bark who waited for me; from the capital, it was Minte who came looking for me.
Since I awoke in the capital, it would be good if I could find and take them with me first.
“There are Monsters I’m looking for. Could you find out for me?”
[Mo, Monsters?]
“I’ll buy you food in return.”
To lure animals for a while, I suppose I should buy some raw meat, vegetables, and fruit. I also need to buy a modest spatial magical artifact and prepare for travel.
“If you don’t want to, could you introduce me to any animal or insect with many friends? Monsters are fine too.”
[Wh, what are you talking about?]
The rat looked up at me with bewildered eyes. Its squeaking voice betrayed a hint of confused emotion.
“Birds would be even better.”
[……This human’s crazy…….]
The brown rat muttered in a frightened, tearful voice. Be that as it may, I busied myself preparing to go out.
There was much to buy for long-term travel ahead.
Finally, the very first thing I needed to do was decided.
First, let’s go shopping.