A Place Without Heaven (Remake)

Chapter 35: My Own Resolution

          After the Royal Battle, a short summer break ended. Now it is fall, with the end of the fall was near, the fall break have arrived on us. We were given permission to go back home, for the fall break, and so...Well, even though I didn't want to remember myself about it, I just can't help but not forget it. About the deal we made before the Royal Battle...

Before Royal Battle, "It sounds fun, hey! Hey! Let's make it more fun...." Gino said, as he rushed over my seat as class ends. "How?" I asked. "Well, how' bout this, the winner of these three competitions gets to show us around their hometown" Gino chuckled. "Didn't that sound like the winner becomes a loser?" I mumbled. "Well, it seems fun, right?" Gino said. "I guess so..." I said, as I looked over the door. "What did you two do?" Russell asked, Reina and Ana who came in with Lux. "We went over the headmaster's office, to ask if it's okay to keep Lux around..." Reina said. "It was truly scary..." Anna shivered. Lately, Ana has been able to talk with us casually, though only to "Us". "So, how did it go?" Kirt asked, unlike normal he was plain this days. "Well, he agreed, after a lot of explanations of craps" Reina said, as she sat down. "Well, you did a great job there, Reina chan" Ana cheered her up. "Thanks...."Reina said. So this little guy gonna stay here. I smiled, as I patted his head.

Thanks to the battle with the demon we made, we changed the deal into going to everyone's houses, instead of just in the winner's...And now...!

"So we'll first go to Sernathe, because it is the nearer to the central, right?" Russell said. "Yup" I nodded. "What's wrong Reina-chan?" Ana asked Reina, who was sweating and shivering since Russell spoke. "It's nothing..." She said. "Are you sure? We can skip it if you want" I said. "No, it's fine...I agreed to come with you with plenty of courage. Because that is my phrase like you said, right Ed?" She smiled bitterly. I punched her head slightly with a cat's paw. "Idiot, it's ok if you loosen that toughness of yours for a bit, for a while, you know?" I chuckled, as I patted her head. "Thanks for your worry" She said. The reason, she was shivering and sweating was surely because of....

It was not long after that talk, that we reached the Sernathe. "Wow, so this is Sernathe. It's big!" Russell said. Some adults passing over us giggled at him. "S-sorry..." He said, with a blush. "Sheesh, don't get too excited or you'll be lost" Gino said. "Gino's right..." Reina agreed, as she grabbed my back more tightly. She was like this, since we got off the wagon. "Do you intend to hide like that on my back, as we go to the Palace?" I asked. "Sorry..." She mumbled, as she took her hands off my back. I was right, the reason of her fear earlier, is this kingdom, more or less, the inhabitants of it. She was signified as a demon, because of her dragon for. She was somehow discriminated with glares. Having a fragile successor, the king changed his successor to Reina. She was scared of everyone's glare. "No, I don't mind, if you want I can carry you on my back" I said. "No thanks!" She blushed.

We reached the Palace, as we avert the glare of the villagers. Even I am scared right now. The guards bowed to Reina, and let us through. As we entered the palace, we went straight in the front of the king. Right in front of us, sits the king. King Harold sen Arledimeth, he was known for his excellent Chivalry in the battlefield. "Welcome back, my dear" His hoarse voice, nearly made us jumped. "I'm back, father" Reina said, with a shivering tone. "I see that you have plenty of chumps beside you, can you introduce them to me?" He said. "Understood father" She said. "I am Edward von Collins, your highness" I said as I bowed before him. "Collins? I see, it would be such a pity to have an imperial prince bow before me, raise your head, son" He said. "Yes sir!" I said, as I stood. "I am Gino Borther, your highness" Gino said. "Borther? I see, so you are Christophe's son." He said. "I am Forth Torthen, your highness" Forth tilted his glasses. "Hmm, how's your father?" Harold asked. "He is doing alright, still doing some research" Forth replied. "I see, so he still loves his documents more than his child, as ever" Harold chuckled. Forth clenched his fist, but that anger of him suddenly faded. "He surely had matured a bit" I chuckled in my thoughts. I was stopped by his piercing glare. "Kirt Yulirken, your majesty" Kirt said. "Hmm, I won't ask any further about you good-for nothing father, probably he's still wasting his money and knowledge by dating girls" He said. "I am Russell Figmorth, your highness" Russell said. "Is your mother doing alright?" He asked. "Yes sir, as usual" He said. Harold ignored him. "Russell's mother, was she an important person?" I mumbled in my thoughts. "I am A-ana Kirthyln, y-your highness" Ana shivered. "You are unlike your mother, a bonafide beauty" He said. "Neraida-san, right?" I mumbled, in my thoughts. After that, we exit the king's throne, with pant. King Harold knew all of our parents, while it is expected for him to know mine. It is a bit creepy and mysterious.

We accompanied Reina, on her sister's room. We entered the room with masks. Her sister was bedridden, she was all bones. Her foods were left uneaten. According to Reina, her sister's body is unable to move no more. "Onee-chan, I'm gonna introduce you my friends, they are my important friends, who accepted me as I am right now" She said, as she grasped her sister's hand. With tears she introduced us to her sister one by one. "And this is my sister, Erina sen Arledimeth" She said, with plenty of tears flowing.

After that, she told us plenty about her sister. She was unexpectedly talkative for the usual Reina, I know. According to her, Erina-san only has 3 years to live. Her body has begun to rot. She told us everything while crying. "Sorry, can you leave me alone with her right now?" She said. "Alright" We nodded. As we left, she cried as she called her sister who no longer answers her back. "Onee-chan!" She cried. I stood before the door, as I listened to her. Isn't there any way to save her sister? "Only a messiah can save her..." I mumbled. A messiah...right, I have that. I can't bear to see Reina like that, anymore. It is worth trying.

After that, I entered Erina-san's room while everyone is sleeping. "Hello Erina-san, don't worry I'm not here to heal you or something like that. I'm here to tell you something, about Reina" I said. As I thought that her forced blink was an answer, I started telling her about Reina. About her introduction, about her fight with Anna, about how she cried very hard as we accepted her other form, everything I know about Reina. "She was coward, stubborn, worrywart, brave at some times, but can be very clumsy, and cute sometimes. But, even I know those things about her, still never did I saw her happy face, except for the day we get to know her better. Cause she was a type who don't show her feelings to other, she was awkward to do so" I said. Erina-san pointed out to her table. "Eh?" I mumbled. "D-dra-wer..." She tried to speak. "Drawer?" I asked, as I took her nod as a yes. I opened the drawer, and so two letters inside. I opened the one with white envelope.

Dear You,

"Whoever you are, if you are reading this letter, probably you are Reina's friend who will someday come here. Well, for starters, I wrote this letter to tell you something. Probably, by the time you're reading this, I don't have any strength anymore. Still I want this to across you. Probably, I don't have any more time to live"

As I read it, I was suddenly forced to remember Reina's words.

"Still, let me tell this to you. Reina, my little sister, sometimes she can be stubborn and a pain in the ass, still, she's a kind and cheerful girl, I love. Please, whoever you are, please let me leave Reina into your hands. Please protect her for me. And please love her on my behalf"

I beg of you, Erina

"You made the wrong person read this Erina-san, you should be having Ana read this..." I said, as I was kinda put into tears by her letter. "It mu-st b...be....you" She said. That night, I witnessed her last breath. She wasn't doing fairly good, that the doctor said that she'll die by matter of time. That night, I heard her voice loud and clearly, with her last breath she told me something.

At the day of her funeral, Reina cried while hugging her sister's grave. "Reina...this, Erina-san told me to give this to you, and" I said, as I handed the letter with red envelope to her. "And that, she told me to say this to you "I loved you, more than anyone in the world" She said, as her last words" I said, as Reina cried. I didn't know what was written in the envelope, but surely it was a letter full of love, and joy.

We were about to go to the next kingdom. Everyone thought that it was better if Reina stayed here to take her time on healing her heart. As we were about to go, Reina shouted at us. "Reina-chan..?" Ana mumbled. "I'm going too" She said, with a stern face. "Are you alright already?" I asked. "You don't have to worry about me, this is something I decided. I have resolute to move on instead of crying down my knees!" She said. I laughed. "Why are you laughing? Idiot!" She said. "Ah, I thought that you were finally back. Welcome back, Reina" I said as I patted her head. "What the heck? You're creepy" She said with a blush. "Reina-chan!" Ana rushed over to hug her. "That is unlike the Reina I know" Harold said. "You're pretty fine, for an old man who lost his daughter" I said. "Maybe I am, maybe because I had knew it" He said, as he walked over back inside the palace. I looked back. "Lad, I'll leave her to you!" He said. I nodded. "You were a fine father at the end, so I think" I mumbled, as I remembered the fact that he heard me and Erina that night. "What are you doing? Let's go already!" Reina shouted. "Fine, fine" I said. Sheesh, why are they loads of tough guys. I chuckled.