The Villain Carries the Holy Sword – Chapter 43.1

Chapter 43.1: The Train Heading Towards Spring (5)

The pain that felt like it could crush him at any moment subsided. An unknown vitality arose in his body, worn out from fatigue and wounds.

Fwooosh—

At the same time, a wind blew. A single pink petal, carried by the wind, landed on his forehead. Cain brushed the petal away and focused his eyes.

Only then could he clearly see the form of ‘Spring.’

【Focus.】

There were many things he wanted to ask, but for now, he gritted his teeth and looked ahead.

Because hundreds of lives now depended on his sword, which had always taken lives.

Agweska felt light.

The chill of the night wasn’t cold.

It was only natural, since the burden he had always shouldered alone was now shared.

Saaaaaaaa—

If the Active ‘Winter of Night’ that Cain had unfolded was a stream, then ‘Spring’s ‘Winter of Night’ that was currently manifesting was a waterfall.

The slim ice bridge, which seemed like it was distorting the very landscape, began to grow majestic as the cold of the universe, which seemed like it could devour Agweska, settled in.

If crossing the canyon on a thin wire was Cain’s limit, then ‘Spring’ was creating a magnificent path out of ice that spanned even the canyon, with flair.

“Wow!”

“It’s a miracle!”

“The train is flying through the sky!”

The passengers, having experienced the unbelievable act of crossing the canyon on an ice bridge, cried out in delight.

“Brother—!”

However, one person.

His face pale, the young warrior sprinting across the roof of the train in the distance was quick to notice.

It was because he was the first to realize that the one who could perform a miracle beyond common sense was naturally Cain, and that miracles were always his sacrifice.

But Abel, who had been running towards him, stopped short.

Cain, who still retained some of his youthful features, and Cain, who had matured into an adult. The sight of the two forms overlapping was etched all over Abel’s face, leaving him confused.

‘Spring,’ who looked back at Abel with Cain, shrugged.

【Can you explain this well?】

It was a roundabout way of saying that he would now leave. However, Cain responded to his question with a question.

“Did you take on another part of the price I must pay for ‘Winter of Night’?”

Cain had unfolded ‘Winter of Night’ knowing that ‘Spring’ would bear some of the burden, as he had done with Arthuan, but he hadn’t expected him to go this far.

He shook his head.

【I only appeared as a form of change.】

“Change?”

Cain frowned.

And he realized that despite always being together, he knew nothing about the 〈Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons〉.

Looking down at Cain, ‘Spring’ smiled.

【With that, I manifested with Winter to execute the correct destiny.】

Cain didn’t know what ‘Spring’ was, but he knew that smile better than anyone in the world.

It was the same bitter smile he had always worn when he was on the front lines.

‘Spring’ glanced at Abel, who hesitated in the distance, and stepped back lightly.

Kwaaaang—

The locomotive hooted like a giant bell as a gentle slope materialized on the ice bridge that was floating in the void, guiding it towards the ground.

Spring, brushing back his messy black hair, asked.

【Were the people on this train destined to die today?】

“……That can’t be true.”

If he hadn’t come, and if Orphil, who had come to welcome him, hadn’t gone to meet him at the Count Crowl castle, the train would never have departed.

That meant that the deaths of those who boarded the train today would not have been today.

【That is the ‘correct destiny’. The destiny that would have originally unfolded in this world line.】

“You’re saying that since I protected that ‘correct destiny,’ I didn’t have to pay the price of ‘Winter of Night.’”

No matter how much one looked at it, there were things that couldn’t be conveyed without dialogue.

There were countless people who wouldn’t understand even after being told ten times, but Cain got to the point at once.

Enough to make ‘Spring’ grin.

【Yes. I was able to appear as much as the weight of that correct destiny.】

“……What about the opposite?”

Cain tilted his head back.

Directly behind him was Abel, and beyond him, the blue sky and the train with its long tail.

But Cain’s eyes were on Vanderbilt, who was somewhere in the passenger car, and beyond that, Arna, who was guarding Ethelred’s territory.

If it was not right to kill the living, then saving those who were meant to die would be the same.

If the power that made ‘Winter of Night,’ which he had to risk his life to unfold each time, so easy to use, was poured out in reverse, Cain had to be even more prepared.

【Destiny is like a net with very large holes, but very few escape it.】

‘Spring’ seemed to know exactly what Cain was thinking and continued speaking.

【You saved those who were meant to die, and killed those who were meant to live.】

“You’re saying I’ll have to pay the price for changing the ‘correct destiny’…”

【Who knows?】

A lighthearted response that made Cain, who was genuinely troubled, feel ashamed.

Cain frowned and looked up at him.

As if he had noticed this, ‘Spring’ shrugged and took a step back as the train approached the original track.

【There is no right answer to destiny.】

“You’re contradicting yourself.”

【Spring is a bit of a capricious season, you see.】

Squeeze—

Cain tightened his grip on Agweska. He really wanted to swing at ‘Spring,’ who was wasting time by speaking vaguely.

As if he had noticed this too, he shrugged and took a step back.

【The world has now changed by ‘11%.’ Perhaps…….】

Even ‘Spring’ found it difficult to continue speaking. It was more like the hesitation of a person than the Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons. Like a newborn chick looking at the world for the first time, ‘Spring’ shifted his gaze.

Flowers were in full bloom.

Sparkling ice cut through the blue sky, forming a bridge.

The black train was running towards life, not death. And the future that Cain had chosen was both above and below.

As if proud, he patted Cain on the shoulder.

【The ‘correctness’ of this world may have changed as much as you have changed it. Look.】

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