Piece 22 (part 1)

Blood has completely bathed my entire body, and I could not feel my skin in the slightest.

My hand is tired, but it continues to hold the bloodied blade. The same blade that has taken a hundred lives, the same blade that has stolen the hopes and dreams of so many.

And as I stood on top of my last victim, I only stared at the raining skies as it brushed away the blood from my skin. I wondered deeply as to why reality was extremely cruel, and I cannot accept that this is who I have become.

My mind reminded me of the screams of the people whom I've stolen the lives of. All their cries, their pleas, all so I'd spare them from death. However, I listened to none of them and continued swinging my blade blindly.

I am... a monster… that has brutally murdered so many people.

"I can't do this anymore… Mom. Dad." I uttered towards the skies out of the pure pain in my chest.

It was painful. I did it to save people, but it was still very painful. The act of taking lives, now that I am a lot older than before, I realized just how disgusting it feels to be doing it.

I cannot… I don't think I can live with this.

"Milly…" From behind, a familiar voice called out to me, and I turned around to find a black shadow wing that is gradually descending from the skies.

His white hair is wet due to the harsh rain, and his terrified eyes realize that he has arrived far too late. Unfortunately for him, it was indeed far too late.

I lifted my hand that is still holding the sword. I noticed just how shivering my fingers were as I continued holding the sword, not wanting to let it go.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw a small amount of white stuff that was surrounding my neck. I used my left hand to touch it, and I realized that it was actually my hair.

Ah… even my hair has gone white.

"Hey… look. I have the same hair as you now." My dry mouth jokingly said while lifting my hair slightly, but Dad's terrified face is still the same as ever.

It's like he did not want this to be what he wanted. Sure enough, I can understand why. To see your daughter taking the lives of so many people and suffering because of it, no father would ever want their lovely daughters going through that.

Dad rushed to me and quickly landed my face onto his chest. He hugged me tightly as he cried deeply, regretting not realizing it earlier.

"I'm sorry… Milly. I should've been here faster…" Dad uttered with such sadness, but I can only hug him back. I can't exactly say that his late arrival was a mistake, considering he probably would've done the same thing. I'm just doing what he would've done, even though it has taken a great toll on my mind.

This just feels disgusting. Killing people and then hugging Dad…? With all these blood on me?

Even living… is disgusting.

"Dad… I'm sorry." I apologized as I pushed him away, and Dad only looked so confused.

"I have… done a terrible deed." I said while lifting my sword towards my chest, and Dad opened his eyes widely.

"No! Milly!!!!!----####!!

####%%%%%!

###!!!!%%%%

##

%######

##%##!##!

##%##!!!!

!!#%

#

##.

.

.

.

.

.

"Did I really do that?" My curious question was thrown, and a laughter came as a reply right beside me.

"You did. It was amazing." Dad's smile has once again returned, but this time, with a reason.

After the situation was settling down, the knights grouped up once more. They began gathering all of their fallen comrades as well as the dead bandits that had been turned into literal meatballs. Roy was also taken into custody, since he was basically the mastermind behind everything.

And whilst they were doing that, Dad pulled me to the side where we both could have a proper conversation. After we both sat down, he began telling me about why he was feeling so disappointed.

He told me that before he arrived, he saw a future where I ended up killing all one hundred and twenty bandits by myself. It was a horrifying reality, and Dad didn't want it to happen. It was the vision that I saw after Dad placed his finger on my forehead, and I was amazed that he even had such ability.

To see the future and return back to the past… that's surely an ability only godly beings like him and Mom can do. Sometimes I wonder if they're really humans.

And then he came to the part where I ended up killing Roy. Obviously, I don't think I ever planned on harming Roy, but such a thing can happen when you just took the lives of a hundred twenty men.

"What's so amazing about that!? Roy is the villain and all, but I wouldn't kill him…" I uttered angrily to him, and Dad only laughed. His smile seemed to have returned, and I can only imagine why.

He seems to be… hiding something. Something very grim.

"Is there something else you saw in that future, Dad?" I tried asking because his smile seemed suspicious, and Dad looked quite surprised by that question.

"What else…? Ah, I think your sword was chipped slightly?" Dad answered lightly, and I can't help but think he is avoiding telling the truth.

He is hiding something. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely something very bad.