In a World without God

Chapter 29

Night had fallen in the Spider Forest, but for Laotou, it was the first morning in forty years. Laotou's turquoise eyes and Edulis's silver ones met each other. Laotou's eyes reflected Edulis', and Edulis' eyes reflected Laotou's.

"Bosha?"

Laotou spoke. Her voice was low and subdued. Edulis nodded.

"Bosha... You're really Bosha...."

Laotou muttered Bosha's name over and over again as if it were a revelation. She was like a child learning the word 'bosha' for the first time.

Aruru was too overwhelmed with relief at Edulis' wakefulness and awe at Laotou to say anything and so he could only stare back and forth between Edulis and Laotou.

In Laotou's arms was something emitting a white light. She held it tightly in one hand while clenching her other hand into a fist. Her tone suddenly changed.

"Bosha... you bastard!!"

The next moment, a sound like a hammer striking a rock echoed as Laotou's fist struck Edulis's skull.

Thwack!

Edulis swallowed a groan. He didn't dodge the punch. Laotou deserved to hit him, Edulis owed it to her.

"Laotou... you're still strong."

Edulis's vision flickered. He felt a sickening sensation in his skull as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer. Edulis struggled to regain his composure and looked into Laotou's face.

Her eyes were streaked with tears. Her teal eyes shimmered like a polished gemstone catching the light. She scratched at her throat and cried out.

"Why were you dead?!"

Her voice was loud enough to echo through the forest. The spiders crawled closer to see if anything had happened to Laotou. Taharka stood silently by, watching Laotou and Edulis.

"Who told you to do such a thing? Who told you to fight for your life against a witch's incarnate? Your job was to provide rear support!"

Laotou smashed her fist into Edulis's skull again, but this time without any force.

Edulis didn't respond to Laotou's words. Instead, he just stared into her eyes.

"Do you know how I felt when you weren't among the Black Fangs who broke through Cyros When I saw you lying there, your whole body turned black, do you know what I thought? The Princess had asked me! She held my hands and begged me to save you! And I couldn't do anything..."

A teardrop fell from Laotou's eye and trickled down the edge of her chin. Edulis placed his fingertips on her chin, his heart breaking to see her face. A teardrop rolled down the back of his hand.

"I'm sorry." That was all Edulis could say.

"I wish you were there, I've thought a hundred times that it would be different if you were." Laotou sobbed.

"If you had been there, the Black Fangs wouldn't have fallen apart. If you had been there, Sijia's army wouldn't have been deceived. Then Lady Lutea wouldn't have had to fight alone in Mastaba! Then I would have... I would have..."

Edulis felt like someone had poured acid on his heart. Ygraine and Laotou continued their lonely battle. While Bosha's soul was resting peacefully in comfort?

Laotou cried for a long time, then put her hand on Edulis's head.

"No.... No.... You're just a little human now......." Slowly stroking Edulis' hair, Laotou said. "I shouldn't have cried. You're a human, and I'm an apostle. It's our duty to protect humans... I can't believe I'm putting that responsibility on you...."