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Chapter 167: Conclusion: A trial of two Doras (5)

Chapter 167: Conclusion: A trial of two Doras (5)

Hope became the center of attention as everyone gazed at him with apprehension. The young boy, his face reflecting sadness, managed to muster a small smile towards the Sin.

"Someone who knows you and everyone... it’s me, right? I’m the only one who has to die, for everyone’s sake, that’s what you meant, isn’t it?"

Dora, hovering above them, rolled his eyes.

"We thought it would be easy to understand, we’re surprised that only the retard among you guessed it."

Candace approached and positioned herself directly in front of Hope.

"Dora, what kind of madness is this? You want to kill him? You want to kill Elizabeth’s brother? Just to become someone else?!"

"Not accurate, we don’t want to but have to murder him to become the one you will ultimately tolerate, and we don’t know who Elizabeth is so, overruled."

The dean’s eyes narrowed, her breaths becoming more intense.

Hope’s lips curved into a faint smile as he stood behind her, yet his eyes betrayed a deep sense of sorrow.

"Dora... You can remember people if you kill someone who knows about you and them... so when you killed Thomas, you... you remember me, right?"

All at once, a collective gasp filled the room as every eye shifted towards the Sin. His hand rested on his chest, his expression one of feigned shock. However, as a sinister smile crept across his face, the mood shifted dramatically.

"Hm... Maybe not so retarded?"

"Dora!" shouted the dean.

Her stance was commanding, her eyes ablaze with anger.

"How could you?! We did everything to help you, we let people die, we let a student get killed for an experiment! But you always knew that? You always knew that you could recover your memory this way..."

The Sin’s smile turned into another grimace.

"We didn’t know... well, we remembered a little, but we weren’t aware of the link between death and memory."

"You must have known after hearing Agiel’s theory!"

The air turned a shade of amber, and the entire illusion started to fade away, prompting everyone to stay vigilant.

"We knew it AFTER, yes, and that’s precisely why we didn’t kill anymore! Because we knew that only one death was necessary."

The dean gritted her teeth.

"... So that’s it... You brought him here just to kill him. Everything you said before was just so we would be the ones to say it, you wanted us to point him out... He was your old friend, how could-"

A projectile landed with a thunderous impact, causing both her and Hope to stumble backward.

Positioned at the forefront, were Iris, Freya, and Cid, while standing steadfastly beside Hope and Candace were Mercy, Lilith, and Marie, forming a united front against the impending threat. Meanwhile, the Sin, his body emanating a vivid yellow aura, advanced with a chilling determination, his eyes ablaze with a murderous intent that sent shivers down their spines.

"Because we don’t remember him as a friend, because we lack the memories to do so, and we know that if it were us who suggested it, you wouldn’t let us kill this one, even knowing that this would bring back the real Dora."

They all backed away, fear growing in their eyes, but it only increased the anger in his.

Placing his hand upon his head, fragments of a resembling incident materialized within his thoughts.

Standing before him was an individual he had to kill for the collective welfare, yet several individuals, accountable for his dire circumstances, obstructed his path.

He stopped walking, shaking his head as if in great pain.

"Why... are you... still... opposed to us? We only want to... help...save...why are you so opposed to us?!"

"Are you going to kill them now, like the others?" asked the fake behind him.

"WE WILL NOT KILL ANY OF THEM!!!"

The entire space cracked, all colors began to fade, and the earth shook.

Dora was standing alone at the epicenter, his eyes roamed restlessly, searching the faces of his former comrades. Gradually, the fury that once burned within his gaze dissipated, replaced by an indescribable anguish that consumed his being.

"One person, give us the person and you will have Dora. Candace, you asked us to become Dora, you told us to keep killing in order to become Dora... You are not useless if one of Your decisions can help everyone, Candace.

Reaching out to her, he maintained one hand on his face, while the dean, consumed by despair, stood with her back against the wall. A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind, the words of the Sin were shattering her sanity.

It wasn’t a threat, but a desperate plea, and deep down she knew she was the root cause. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as she peered at the ground, seeking an answer.

Should Dora be brought back by sacrificing Hope? Should the hero be freed through a fresh bloodbath? Her brain operated at over 100% capacity, with the Sin’s demeanor weighing heavily on her. He held all the cards, capable of ending them in a heartbeat, with no opposition, yet he opted to leave the decision in his hands. Just as she tried to form a sentence, Hope’s voice shattered the silence.

"Really? Then let’s do it."

Their gazes converged on him, their astonishment evident in their eyes. Dora, his eyes fluttering open, directed his gaze towards the boy who stood before him.

"If killing me would help everyone, then do it. It seems like the best decision."

As silence fell across the place, Cid frowned and grabbed his arm.

"Hey, what are you doing? Are you crazy?!"

Much to his amazement, Hope greeted him with a radiant smile, leaving him utterly taken aback. A wave of relief swept over him, and he redirected his attention to the others, his face now adorned with a look of tranquility.

"Yes, why think about it? It’s the best for everyone. I’ve been a nuisance to all of you for so long. Think about it..."

He turned to Mercy.

"I brought so much shame to you and your family, if I had been strong enough, I would have surpassed Peters and become a Holy Knight. He would be alive... this is the perfect opportunity to atone for my folly."

Her eyes filled with disgust and anger, Mercy cast a scornful glance at him. He made his way towards Dora, his face betraying a sense of relief as he acknowledged the stares of the crowd.

"It’s a choice between me and Dora, why even think about it? I’m just a useless idiot who was so stupid that I caused my sister’s death... I’m just a clown playing the role of a hero, opposite Dora was much better. Everyone loves him, everyone cares about him, he can save the world... he’s the one who is in everyone’s heart world.

Tears began to fall from his eyes.

"This is the best opportunity to atone for my stupidity... Just let this fool die and the hero will appear, let’s do it! Kill me!"

His arms dropped to his sides, tears streaming down his face.

"Finally... if I can be of any help... let me die."

He turned his back and faced Dora, wiping the tears and snot from his face.

"Go ahead... I deserve this..."

Dora withdrew his hand from his face and directed his attention towards his sacrifice. With a slight squint, he shifted his gaze towards the rest of the group, his expression transforming into one of astonishment.

"What a coward... maybe ya really should die then."

Hope flinched and slowly turned his gaze behind him.

Anticipating insults from all, he braced himself. However, upon glimpsing their expressions, he recoiled. No ire or revulsion, only profound sorrow. Mercy shook her head, wearing a look of resignation.

"Ya understand that yer attitude is a problem? Good for ya, but even in a moment like this yer findin’ ways to do something stupid... Ya could never be as strong as Peets, and yeah, ya really dirtied my family’s name, and now ya want to finish by making me the one who sacrificed you? Just how selfish can you be?!"

She shut her eyes, her arms resting gently by her side.

"If yer too coward to change, then ya can kill herself, but don’t put that on Dora."

Stunned and unable to comprehend, Hope’s eyes remained fixed on Mercy. The sight before him left him speechless. Freya swiftly came over to stand beside her.

"I don’t want to think about what’s bothering you. It’s not a crime to admit fault, but if the best solution you can think of is to kill yourself, then you’re still blind and immature."

Hope, lost in his own world, gazed at them with utter disbelief. His mind was devoid of any rational thought or comprehension as the dean slowly approached him.

"You have to see beyond the end of your nose, the same for you Cid. No one will be satisfied with this result because no one wants to see Dora treated like a monster anymore. You are mature enough to understand your failures, but not enough to deal with."

"... But... I... What more must I do to satisfy your satisfaction? What?!" he asked, crying profusely.

"Stop trying! It’s that simple." said the dean, stopping in front of Dora.

"We made too many mistakes, but those mistakes can lead to a great outcome if we learn to deal with them. Maybe erasing your memory was a bad decision, maybe teaching you to be a sin was the worst idea... But it won’t go any further."

Dora’s eyes trembled, facing the dean’s determined smile.

"Greed, you were right, it was I who started it, it was I who led you on this path, therefore it is I who will free you from it. The ordeal is over."