The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 225 – Ancient Dragon, Sirinias (10)

After setting foot in Alrba, scenes unfolded, ones I knew better than anyone, yet somehow didn’t fully understand.

While [Law]’s eyes couldn’t clearly see me, the others could.

Like the time I stayed at Hermilla’s house, panicking for two days… the time I laughed for the first time after getting used to [Ki sense]… the time I broke her floor with my greatsword and snuck out to post a request behind her back.

Time passed.

Two months in.

The day I received a [named request], and met Rubia.

Back then, I hadn’t known.

But behind all of those events, the adventurers of Alrba had quietly supported me.

They adjusted the food so it wouldn’t be as spicy as the usual bar snacks.

They even managed to serve warm milk and sweet desserts, items that didn’t exist in the guild kitchen.

Some adventurers deliberately left behind requests suited to someone of my rank.

Every time I went out on a quest, Luchi watched over me from just outside my [Ki sense] range.

Heinzel hid in the corner, worried he might scare me.

Everyone was careful with their words when I was around, holding back their swearing.

And even the blacksmith, who never said a word, always gave me the gentlest smile.

That wasn’t all.

Even for the [named request], I had help from several adventurers and villagers just to prepare for the journey.

They, everyone in Alrba, truly cherished me.

They were people who, despite having lost everything, could still give something to others.

And so, I closed my eyes.

Because I was afraid of never feeling that warmth again.

Because their light, their happiness, their laughter… was blinding.

I was afraid I’d grow attached.

So I had to close my eyes.

And when, after an eternity, I opened them again, 

I was in Roholon Village.

I was in Ursphere.

I was in the Karahan Mountains.

I arrived in Cartia.

I stood upon the flower garden blooming at the edge of the world.

The long journey through memories had reached its end.

And in the crumbling illusion, I gently touched the ring on my left ring finger.

I didn’t know why this illusion was shown to me just before my battle with Sirin.

I didn’t know who had shown it to me.

But one thing, I did know.

Whoever showed it to me, 

They didn’t want me to hate Sirin.

If they had wanted me to hate her, they wouldn’t have let me feel everything she felt.

And, 

They must’ve wanted me to love the world.

To show me that the world wasn’t just cold and cruel, but still had warmth left in it.

Of course, maybe that wasn’t their intention.

But if it was her, the one I knew, 

Then surely, it was.

“…Right?”

I looked up at the crumbling sky and asked her.

That being didn’t answer, but instead, returned my body to a familiar place.

The wasteland where Sirin had stayed for untold eons.

There, I felt the lingering warmth she had left behind.

And I recalled her, bound by just one final chain.

Sirin, who scattered despair across the world to fulfill Lilith’s request.

Who broke the chains of [law] and placed a [seal] on herself to forge these trials.

And so, with each repeating world, 

Each time the people of the land died, 

Sirin despaired.

She grieved, grew angry, regretted it all, 

But never stopped. She couldn’t.

Because even without the despair she scattered, the world kept marching toward ruin.

Because she realized that a world without Lilith was a world destined for destruction.

From that moment on, Sirin buried her emotions.

She discarded every feeling and shouldered her burden.

She bore all the world’s hatred and became evil itself.

She endured and endured, recalling the searing warmth of the sun hidden behind the Black Sun.

Clinging to her frayed soul, chewing through shattered emotions, 

She became [Law].

Whether that was her calling or her fate, I did not know.

But Sirin accepted it.

So I will accept it too.

This burden I can’t yet name as destiny or duty.

The hope passed down through everyone until now.

Kartia’s prayer.

And, 

The words my parents left for me:

“To become a hero who saves lives.”

I must accept it, no,

I want to accept it.

I want to carry it.

So that I can save them.

The people who showed me warmth.

The ones who shared hope with me.

The precious ones trapped in this absurd fate.

Sirin, fading into despair.

Rubia, I want to save her.

Not anyone else.

Me.

The one who is the protagonist of this newly beginning story.

So, 

“It’s time to end it.”

I reached out my hand.

“I think… I’ve found the answer.”

Into my once-empty hand, Frey was placed.

And at that moment, 

[Yes.]

My vision went black.

[I’ll be waiting.]

* * *

Crunch, 

A soft texture pressed underfoot.

I gripped Frey tightly in my hand.

Steadying my breath, I unfolded my [Ki sense].

“You’ve seen it all now.”

Standing before me, was Sirin, with a bitter smile.

“What did you think? That is who I am. The one who scattered despair across the world, who killed everyone, who brought about the end of the world.”

At her lonely tone, I shook my head.

“Haha. Even if I had no choice, it doesn’t erase what I’ve done.”

“…But… in this world, you saved many people.”

For a moment, Sirin’s expression froze.

“…What are you… saying? If you’ve seen my memories, then you should know. I was there, in Hablon, in Rochester, in the Mage Tower, at all of them…”

“I saw everything, just as you said. And that’s exactly why I know… it wasn’t your doing.”

I recalled Sirin as I had seen her in the illusion.

She had always been there, wherever people were dying, but not once had human blood stained her hands or her greatsword. The only thing on her blade was the blood and flesh of beasts.

And the clearest sign that she wasn’t the one who spread despair, 

Was the emotion I felt from her as she witnessed it all.

Even now, just remembering it made my heart ache, it was too raw to have been caused by her own hand.

At first, I assumed the broken chains of [law] meant Sirin had caused the despair.

But the more I saw, the clearer it became. The emotions I felt from her, grief and hatred, were too real to be the emotions of someone who had caused that suffering.

The chains she broke… they were probably for saving those whom the Nameless One tried to kill.

If only Sirin had shown me from the start that she was saving people, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time figuring it out.

Considering this kind of twisted trick… ‘she’ must’ve been a little mad at me.

“…You didn’t see everything, but clearly, you didn’t just watch either.”

“…Maybe.”

“Still, the sins I’ve committed cannot be forgiven.”

Planting her greatsword into the ground, Sirin remained silent for a while before letting out a deep sigh.

“I carried emotions I should not have felt. I brought forth a despair I never should have caused. I let myself feel rage I was never meant to. And what remained? Ruin. A world ruined by my hands, the very hands that were meant to protect it.”

She recalled the worlds she had destroyed.

“And so, in the end, I closed my eyes, shut my ears, and sealed my heart. I stood by and watched when I could’ve helped. I did nothing, even knowing the end. And eventually, I wore down and broke… choosing to become not a person, but [Law] itself.”

She recalled the despair that had consumed her.

“Challenger, you saw it too, didn’t you? That devastation, it was the result of abandoning duty and acting on emotion. If that’s not a sin, then what is? If it isn’t my fault, what else could you call it?”

She recalled the despair she had sown.

“Yes, I, Sirin, was never meant to be an ancient dragon or the Apostle of that being. I should’ve been only a watcher. Merely [Law], a tool to perfect the world by oppressing it. The root of all despair.”

Sirin drew her sword.

Unfurled her folded wings.

Unleashed her gathered [Magic] as she declared:

“Then I declare once again, here and now, I am the [Law] of this world. I am the calamity who shall become your final trial, Challenger. ”

“Sirin.”

I cut her off, gripping Frey tightly.

“To others, you may be [Law], an ancient dragon, or a mere observer.”

Then, looking at Sirin, wearing the same expression as in the past, now invisible to the world, I spoke.

“But to me, you’re none of that. You’re my precious friend, Sirin.”

From the beginning, 

Even when I learned she was [Law].

Even when I thought she had scattered despair.

Now, 

And always, 

For the rest of my life, 

So, 

“Don’t worry. I… your friend, I’ll carry it.”

Your sins.

Your rage, your burden, your fate, your duty.

“I’ll take it all on.”

Because I, 

“I’m the protagonist of this story.”

Sirin, stunned into silence for a while after hearing my words, 

“…Ha, haha… ahahahaha!”

Laughed.

Just like when we enjoyed the festival in Ursphere.

Like when we ate grilled chicken skewers and candied fruits.

Brighter and more radiant than ever before, she laughed.

“Yes… that’s right. You were always the protagonist.”

Still chuckling, Sirin straightened her posture and uttered a line etched deeply into my memory.

“However… for someone who claims to be the protagonist, your sword is terribly lousy, isn’t it?”

“Lousy… seriously?”

I, recalling those past moments, looked straight at Sirin, who was waiting for my reply, and said:

“Bring it on.”

Upon hearing that, Sirin smiled more joyfully than ever.

“Very well.”

―CRACK!

She severed the final remaining chain.

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