Chapter 1
‘Where am I?’
When Grace regaineda her senses, all that existed in the space she stood was darkness.
It felt like she had awakened from a long, deep sleep, but upon opening her eyes, she found herself in a place where no light could be seen, just staring blankly into the void…
“…I don’t know.”
As she pondered what was happening, she soon gave up and plopped down onto the floor.
Everything felt like a hassle.
‘I must have really died.’
There was no pain in her body to indicate otherwise.
The terrible pain that had clung to her without letting go for a moment in recent days…
But that pain had completely vanished.
Just that realization alone allowed Grace to confirm her death.
“Haah.”
A long sigh escaped her lips.
She had fought so hard to live. What glory did she hope to see that she endured such hardship?
When she learned that she had an incurable disease, a part of her felt a bit relieved.
‘I must have been more tired than I thought.’
The burden of having another’s life entirely in her hands was more exhausting than one might expect.
“Damn that cursed Black Forest.”
The Black Forest.
A forest where monsters began to appear in the world.
In an ordinary space devoid of anything, dark trees suddenly sprouted thickly, blocking the surroundings.
The sizes of the forests varied.
The important thing was that the people present could not leave the realm of the Black Forest.
The dark trees could only disappear once all the monsters residing in the Black Forest were dealt with, allowing people to exit as well.
However, as if welcoming new prey, entry from the outside was always possible, which led mercenaries or soldiers to venture into the forest to rescue those trapped inside.
Because such events occurred frequently, patients were always in abundance.
The more severe the injuries, the more likely it was that they would seek Grace, rather than a regular healer, which meant her days were always busy.
“I don’t think I could do it again even if asked.”
Countless faces of those she had healed flashed rapidly through her mind.
Pride? Satisfaction?
No, more than that…
Fatigue.
Yes, fatigue.
The terrifying exhaustion that could bring on nausea merely by recalling it surged heavily.
‘It’s not like I lived that long.’
Having lived a short life, and yet, there was only a sense of relief that it was over now.
Not even a shred of regret remained!
“Does this even make sense?”
Isn’t it clear that her life had serious problems?
[…Please.]
“Hmm?”
As Grace was lost in such thoughts, a small sound suddenly caught her attention.
Then, as if waiting for her, light began to pour forth from a distant point.
‘Is it asking me to come over there?’
Feeling drawn by something, Grace slowly rose from her seat and began to head towards the light.
[Please…]
Even as she approached, the unfamiliar voice continued to flow faintly.
The closer Grace got, the clearer the voice became.
[Please… Please help me.]
She paused.
She couldn’t help but stop at the soft yet distinct voice that pierced her ears.
“What now?”
It was a phrase she found terribly tiresome.
‘Please save me… Please…’
‘Help me! Please help me!’
‘Please save my child… Ugh, please…’
Wasn’t this the kind of thing she had heard all her life to the point of nausea?
“Haah.”
But why?
Wasn’t I dead? Why do I have to hear such words even after dying?
“It’s an auditory hallucination. This must be an auditory hallucination…”
[Please… help me…]
“……”
Grace exhaled a long sigh and ultimately resumed her steps.
After all, in this darkness, the only thing visible was that light.
It felt like she had to go there, no matter what.
[Please… help me.]
Before long, a girl who looked to be in her mid to late teens caught Grace’s eye.
Sitting on the floor, her sobbing figure was utterly pitiful.
However, Grace felt no special emotion at all.
‘It’s not like I’ve never seen this before.’
She had lived her life seeing people cling to hope, crying and begging for help.
It was as if her emotions had dried up completely, making it impossible to empathize with their pain again.
[Please…]
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt or something?”
[Please help me.]
“So what do you want me to help with? You don’t look like you’re hurt anywhere.”
[Please… please help me.]
…Let’s just go.
Glancing at the girl who kept repeating the same words, Grace turned her body to leave.
Well, it’s not like I can do anything if there’s no communication.
Swish.
[Please… help me…]
“……”
But the next moment, seeing the girl reaching out with her white hand, Grace had to pause once more.
Her desperate gaze, as if asking Grace to hold her hand, made her let out a deep sigh.
Holding her hand wasn’t exactly a difficult task.
Taking a step closer to the girl, Grace tightened her grip and helped her to her feet. She had been bothered by the girl’s sitting posture for a while.
Suddenly, a bright light burst forth from the girl, engulfing the surroundings in an instant.
“What the…!”
[Thank you… really… thank you.]
No, explain!
I need to understand what’s happening, but my eyelids keep wanting to shut.
With the girl’s voice fading into the distance, Grace had to lose consciousness once again.
[And… I’m sorry, really…]
***
‘…What’s this again?’
Is this what death is like? Why is a dead person collapsing again?
‘Haah.’
I guess you only know by dying. This is my first experience with death.
She remembered holding the girl’s hand and being enveloped in bright light, but she had no recollection of what happened afterward.
‘By the way, how long am I supposed to stay like this?’
What was most frustrating was her current situation.
‘At least let me open my eyes.’
Her entire body felt as heavy as lead. It was as if something heavy was pressing down on her, making it impossible to move.
Perhaps this was what it meant to be in a state of death…
‘So what happens next?’
At this point, shouldn’t a reaper or demon come to take her away?
How long was she supposed to stay like this?
‘This is so different from what I imagined.’
Usually, isn’t it the case that your soul leaves your body, allowing you to see your own dead self and the people around you grieving before getting whisked away somewhere?
What was with this suffocating and gloomy situation?
“…Les…?”
At that moment.
“Cere…?”
What is that?
A faint sound began to reach Grace’s ears as she lay trapped in the dark, unable to move.
Was someone finally here to take her away?
“…Sister!”
Sister?
As if that voice was a spell to break a curse, the heavy air that had pressed down on her vanished in an instant.
Feeling puzzled, Grace slowly began to lift her eyelids, which were starting to gain strength.
As her blurry vision quickly began to focus, she blinked a few times.
“Are you back to your senses?”
The voice from earlier pierced her ears forcefully.
Turning her head toward the source of the sound, she saw a boy who looked about eleven or twelve years old standing there.
Upon meeting her gaze, a brief sigh of relief escaped the boy’s lips.
‘What’s going on here?’
Could that be the reaper sent to take her? A demon?
‘Surely not an angel.’
She was too brazen to expect to go to heaven after having sold her conscience long ago.
What is he, really?
“Who are you?”
“…What?”
“I said, who are you?”
“Are you going crazy?”
Seeing the boy frown as if he was incredulous, Grace couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
It had been a while since someone outright said she was crazy.
“I admit I’ve done some crazy things, but is asking a little kid who they are really considered crazy?”
“What am I supposed to say when you ask who your little brother is?”
…Little brother?
“Who? You?”
I’ve never had such a thing!
When did my parents, who died when I was young, create something like that?
Seeing the boy’s expression increasingly distort, Grace’s own brows furrowed in confusion.
What are you, really?
Click.
Just then, as the two stared blankly at each other, the door swung open, and several people rushed in.
—
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