Sword Art Online 13: Alicization Dividing Part 28

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

But what have they done for you? What exactly have they done for you in return for your love?

Right... he couldn't think of any.

Before his eyes, Administrator's smile readily bent once again and a scene from his past came back to him.

It was the year he turned ten, in the spring... the day he was bestowed his "sacred task" along with a crowd of children by the village chief in the plaza. The sacred task, "Gigas Cedar's Woodcutter", spoken out by Gasupht, the village chief, as he looked down upon the nervous him from the platform, went contrary to his expectations.

But stil , there were cries of envy here and there among some of the children. The woodcutter was an honorable sacred task pa.s.sed down since the Rulid Village was founded and though it wasn't a sword, he would still be presented with a real axe.

Even Eugeo himself hadn't felt dissatisfaction over it back then.

Grasping the parchment wrapped with a red ribbon, the proof of his appointment, tightly, Eugeo had ran back to his home on the outskirts of town and announced his sacred task to his family somewhat proudly.

Following a short silence, the first reaction came from the younger one among his brothers. He curtly clicked his tongue and cursed, saying that he thought it would be his last day 209.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

handling the cleanup for the cows' s.h.i.+t. The older one told his father that it would throw the planting plans for the year into disarray and his father, too, asked Eugeo when his job would end and whether he could help out in the fields then, in a groan.

As though afraid of the men's sullenness, his mother disappeared into the kitchen without saying a word.

Eugeo felt constantly ashamed in his home for the next eight years. And despite that, Eugeo's wages as a woodcutter were controlled by his father and before he noticed, the number of goats had multiplied and the farm tools were swapped with new ones. Despite how, Jink, appointed as a guard apprentice, spent all of his wages on himself and ate white bread stuffed full of meat for lunch, and showed off his studded boots and a sword kept in a l.u.s.trous sheath. Despite how, Eugeo had to walk on in his worn out shoes and a jute sack filled with nothing more than the left over hard bread on his back before Jink's presence.

"You see? Have any of those you loved done anything for you, even once? On the contrary, they took pleasure in your wretchedness and even sneered at you, haven't they?"

Yes... that was exactly it.

Jink had said this to Eugeo after around two years after that summer of his eleventh year, when Alice was taken away by the 210.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

integrity knight. There aren't any women left to care for you any longer, with that girl of the village chief gone now, he said.

Jink's eyes back then told him that he deserved it. The fact that Eugeo lost the privilege of being the one closest to the cutest girl in the village and a genius at sacred arts, Alice, brought joy to him.

In the end, not a single person in Rulid returned Eugeo's feelings. Although he had earned the right to gain something equivalent to what he had given, it had been robbed from him without rhyme or reason.

"Then, couldn't you simply return that despair and frustration to them? You wish to, don't you? It would feel so good... imagine becoming an integrity knight and making a triumphant return to your home vil age atop a silver flying dragon. Imagine having all who have made a fool out of you crawl on the ground and pressing down on their heads with your s.h.i.+ny boots. With that, you could final y take back everything they have stolen from you thus far. And that's not all..."

The beautiful, silver-haired girl slowly, gently let the two arms supporting her b.r.e.a.s.t.s fal , as though drawing him in. Those two mounds bounced like ripened fruits upon losing their support.

211.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

The highest minister reached her two arms straight towards Eugeo and whispered with while showing an enthralling smile.

"You can enjoy being loved for the first time as much as you want. A real, numbing sense of satisfaction from head to toe. I am different from those who have taken away from you without giving anything in return. If you could give me your love, you will have just as much in return. I will let you experience incomparable pleasure, beyond what you could possibly imagine now, if only you could grant me your deepest love."

Even the final trickle of Eugeo's ability to think was about to be drawn into that devilish flower. But stil , a fragment of reason left in the depths of his heart put up a quiet resistance.

-What exactly... is love?

-Is it nothing more than something that could be a.s.signed a value... like money...?

It's not, Eugeo-senpai!

His sight turned towards the voice he heard and saw a red- haired girl clad in a grey uniform, desperately reaching out with her hand in the darkness on the other side.

But before Eugeo's hand could stretch out, the thick, pitch black curtains descended upon the red-haired girl and she vanished, leaving behind only the shade of grief in her eyes.

212.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

And this time, a voice from someone else came from the opposite direction.

It's not, Eugeo. Love is definitely not just something to be repaid.

Turning around, he found a smal gra.s.sy s.p.a.ce parting the darkness and a golden-haired girl wearing a blue dress standing in it. The girl's blue eyes dazzlingly glittered as though they were the one and only exit to this bottomless swap and Eugeo roused his weary legs in an attempt to crawl towards her.

However, the black curtains fell down with a thud once more and the verdant field was erased. Eugeo was at a loss with the light's departure and remained crouching where he was. He could hardly bear this searing thirst any longer. Upon recalling the continuous, unjust oppression, exploitation, and thief of what should have belonged to him from his childhood, his anguish and chagrin transformed into concentrated brine, scorching his throat.

At last, Eugeo began to steadily worm himself forth with his head hung down. Towards the flow of nectar emitting a fragrance of cloying sweetness.

Pus.h.i.+ng through the smooth silk sheets, his fingertips extended forward and came into contact with refres.h.i.+ngly cool skin. When he brought his face up, the silver-haired girl with 213.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

looks on par with a G.o.ddess showed a transcendental smile as she took Eugeo's hand.

With his right hand gently pulled forward, he pitched forward without resistance. The unclothed body received Eugeo and enveloped him into a mesmerizing softness.

A voice whispered into his ear with sweet breaths.

"You want it, don't you, Eugeo? To forget all of your grief, to indulge in all I have to offer? But no, not yet. I have already said this, first, you will have to give me your love. Now, repeat after me. Trust only in me and offer all you have. Well... first, start a sacred art."

All that Eugeo was aware of now, were the layers of sweet- scented softness wrapping around him.

He faintly heard his own mouth move, spil ing out a hoa.r.s.e voice.

"System... call. "

"Yes... go on... " remove core protection"."

The highest minister's voice lightly shook, carrying a certain emotion for the first time.

Eugeo chanted the first word of the unfamiliar art in a mumble.

214.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

215.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

"Remove..."

Entrusting his body with the command he had been given, his existence felt increasingly light and dim. The hunger and thirst that had tormented Eugeo for a long, long time faded into the sweet nectar. At the same time, a precious emotion that he had always held in the core of his heart crumbled, lost its shape, and vanished.

-Is this real y for the best...?

The question he asked himself in his diminis.h.i.+ng chest lit a humble flame, but the next word spil ed from his mouth before he found the answer.

"Core..."

-Well, I really don't want to experience anymore sadness, anymore sorrow.

Love in this world could never be made certain. Even if... even if Alice were to regain her memories, what if she had no eyes for Eugeo? What if Alice ended up fil ed with fear and loathing for Eugeo, who had offended the Taboo Index by cutting Humbert and turned his sword against many knights in opposition to the Axiom Church...?

If things could end up that way, it might be better to simply stop right here.

216.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

Eugeo vaguely understood his journey over these two years would come to a complete halt the moment he chanted the third word. However, he could forget his painful, dismal past by doing so-he could immerse himself in the love granted by this silver-haired girl; that reasoning certainly contributed to his choice as well.

"Yes... now, come to me, Eugeo, come into me."

A whisper, filled with an unparalleled sweetness, flowed into his ear.

"Welcome, to my eternal stasis..."

A single drop of tear flowed as Eugeo murmured that final word.

217.

Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.