A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

"Lord Nimitz! Why don't you try to persuade Lord Carlogaris!"

"You are his friend, please try to persuade him."

“I said, let Carlogaris speak,” Nimitz shouted angrily.

“I will always respect you, Carlogaris.”

"But as I said, I have no right to decide the life or death of a hero."

"Convince them yourselves," Nimiter said in a low voice, suppressing the complexities of the situation.

“Thank you, Nimitra.” Kalogaris knew he wasn’t suited to be a leader, so he let Nimitra take the role.

Just as Nimiter understood himself, he also knew that Nimiter would respect him.

"Please, stop me."

"Stop me, no matter who it is for. I don't want to become a monster and hurt others."

His sword should be used to fight for the Black Iron race, not for destruction.

After Carlogaris finished speaking, he knelt down.

He knelt before people, including Nimiter, just to get their consent.

This kind of death cannot be achieved by oneself; one can only rely on others.

The hero knelt down, and everyone remained silent.

This kneeling was so heavy that no one could bear it.

"I'm asking you one last time, Carlogaris."

“What about your wife?” Nimiter asked, taking a deep breath.

“Tell her that her husband is a scumbag who is obsessed with beauty and wealth.”

“Tell her that her husband is being scorned...tell her that I am not worthy of her affection,” Carlogaris said.

"I just want to call you an idiot." Nimitz spat rudely.

"I'm sorry," Carlogaris apologized softly.

"No one wants to kill you, and no one has the ability to kill you."

“So, we have no choice but to lock you up.” Nimitzer gritted his teeth and made this decision.

“Then imprison me. Build a prison from which I can never escape, a prison from which I cannot escape even after a thousand or ten thousand years.” Carlogaris’s tone contained no resentment, only a trace of regret and sorrow.

"No! Lord Nimitz! Lord Carlogaris! Calm down, both of you!"

"That's right, that's right!"

"Shut up!!! He's already kneeling, your hero has knelt!" Nimitzer erupted in fury.

"What are you still saying?!"

"Do you really want him to keep kneeling over this kind of trivial matter?"

"How much longer do you want him to kneel?!"

Do you, everyone, not want Carlogaris to die, but Nimitzer does?

Carlogaris was not only a hero to him, but also a friend.

Nimitri's anger stunned everyone.

Carlogaris simply lowered his eyelids, waiting for an answer.

Please stand up...

"Lord Carlogaris, we will do our best."

After much hesitation, everyone finally made a decision.

Nimitze appeared before Carlogaris at some point, reached out his hand, and pulled him up.

"A hero's knees should not touch the ground lightly," he said with a complicated expression.

"Thank you so much, Nimiter."

“I don’t deserve your thanks. I don’t want to be thanked by the person I’m about to lock up.” Nimiter shook his head.

"It would take a very, very long time to create a cage to imprison you."

“I want you to persevere,” Nimitz said in a deep voice.

"I tried my best...but what if I..."

“There are no ifs,” Nimitra interrupted Carlogaris.

"Building a cage will take a long time. I just hope you spend more time with the people you want to be with."

"Thank you..." A smile appeared on Carlogaris's sharply defined face. Carlogaris was always very gentle with Shalom.

However, during this time, Salom felt that Carlogaris was unusually gentle, so gentle that it made her feel uneasy.

It's as if I'm overdrawing something to get this happiness.

Each time, Salom wanted to ask, but in the end, she never did.

Kalogaris took Shalom on a journey across the Middle Continent, allowing her, who was blind, to experience the entire world.

The fleeting yet heartwarming moments are too precious to break.

But one day, that sweet time was shattered.

Nimitzer came alone to Carlogaris without anyone with him.

“I’m sorry, Shalom, I’m going to lock up Carlogaris,” Nimize said to Shalom in a very calm tone.

Nimize looked at the still-young Carlogaris and the somewhat aged Salom, feeling utterly helpless. He had no idea how much time had passed.

It took a long time for the cage that Carlogaris wanted to be built.

Carlogaris would always tell him that he was gradually losing control of himself and feared that one day he would not be able to hold on any longer.

Time was running out, and he no longer had the right to enjoy this tranquility.

"Eh." Salom, who was holding Carlogaris's hand, was stunned.

"Why? What did Kalogaris do?" Salom gripped his hand tightly, unwilling to let go.

“He made many mistakes.” Nimiter did not want to speak of a hero in this way.

But this was Carlogaris's request... no, his demand.

“Kalogaris? How could he…” Shalom clearly couldn’t believe it.

"Shalom, I'm sorry." Carlogaris released Shalom's hand and took a few steps forward.

Salom couldn't see anything, but he could hear the crisp sound of handcuffs locking.

"What exactly did Carlogaris do wrong?!" She caught up with Carlogaris and grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“I cannot say,” Nimitz said in a cold voice, looking at Salom.

"Wait a minute, please wait a moment." Hearing the footsteps fading away, Salom staggered and started running.

But she was stopped.

“Excuse me, but you can’t follow me any further,” Shalom’s unfamiliar voice rang out.

"Kalogaris!" Shalom shouted at the top of his lungs.

She usually speaks very softly and gently, but at this moment, her voice, though from a great distance, reached Carlogaris's ears.

No, even if she's just whispering, Carlogaris can hear her.

"You'll come back, won't you? Just like before." Salom awaited the other's answer.

But Carlogaris was unable to answer as he had before.

He's not coming back; there's no way he'll ever come back.

Kalogaris will lock himself there for the rest of his life until he perishes.

“I will come back… no, I can’t come back.” These words were squeezed out of Carlogaris’s throat with difficulty.

"Then I'll wait for you."

"..." Carlogaris stood there dumbfounded, silent.

"I've been waiting for you."

"Don't wait for me..."

“I will wait for you to come back, just like before, and then light a lamp for you.” Shalom ignored Carlogaris.

Somehow, the person who had stopped Salom let her pass and hug Carlogaris.

Nimitri tacitly allowed Salom to embrace Carlogaris.

Time passed slowly, and much later, Shalom finally relaxed.

"..." Carlogaris wanted to say "I'm sorry," "I apologize," and "I love you."

But none of the words could be spoken.

He turned around and gently rested his chin on Salom's head.

This longing, which feels like it's about to cry, can no longer be conveyed.

The warmth that was usually within easy reach has become incredibly distant from today onwards.

"If I were to be selfish, could you please not forget me...?"

“Of course,” Shalom said indulgently.

Then, the man cried and was taken away.

---

Kalogaris was allowed to wear the armor he had worn in battle and the twin swords that accompanied him in combat.

He raised his head, looking at the huge cage, his eyes filled with confusion.

The prison gates were open, waiting for Carlogaris to enter.

Everyone around was watching the hero.

People thought, "What a pitiful and pathetic person. He has never enjoyed the wealth and luxury he deserves, not even for a second."

Nimiter thought to himself, what a pitiful and pathetic person this is. A great hero sacrificed himself, yet he couldn't even grasp his own happiness.

Carlogaris stepped through the gate and then turned to look at Nimiter.

“I’m sorry, Nimitzer, I can no longer be a member of the ‘Great Enemy of God’,” Carlogaris said to Nimitzer with a smile.

“Idiot, I’ve already included you in my count.” Nimitze finally spoke to Carlogaris in a relaxed and carefree tone.

"Thank you so much, does that make me a veteran now?"

“Don’t thank me yet. I’m not going to keep your promise to tell Salom what you asked me to do,” Nimitz said.

In order to prevent Shalom from being saddened by his departure, the hero plans to slander himself and destroy his image in Shalom's eyes.

She thought that this would make Salom stop loving her.

But, Carlogaris, Carlogaris, you have oversimplified Shalom's love.

Even if I told her, she wouldn't believe me.

“Is that so?” Carlogaris looked around.

Then he saw a familiar figure. Ah, Salom had come too.

Even though I can't see anything, I stubbornly came here.

Even though her voice and figure would likely be lost in the crowd, she still came here.

“So don’t thank me,” Nimitz said.

"Goodbye, my friend," Carlogaris said, then stepped through the door with his other foot.

The door closed slowly.

The light gradually dimmed, and darkness enveloped Carlogaris.