Chapter 848

“…His will?”

Raon widened his eyes as he looked at the paper in Sheryl’s hand.

‘A will…?’

Did Master somehow know he was going to die?

Raon had thought Rimmer’s final words were simply “Be happy,” and hadn’t expected a separate will to exist.

The thought that he might have known about his death made Raon’s heart pound fiercely.

“A transcendent shouldn’t make such a mess of his expressions, you know.”

Sheryl gave a faint smile with her chin slightly raised.

“He didn’t give it to me before this mission. He prepared it a long time ago.”

“Ah…”

Raon let out a low breath as he stared at the paper.

“And don’t think it’s yellow because of me. That bastard just used cheap paper and handed it over like that.”

She brushed off the yellowed paper with her hand, saying Raon knew what kind of person Rimmer was.

“I know.”

Raon nodded.

There was no way someone like Sheryl would have carelessly kept Rimmer’s will.

She must have stored it carefully, so the paper must have been yellow from the start.

-Even his will is filthy. That man was always consistent.

Wrath let out a hollow laugh, saying Rimmer was a truly exhausting man.

“Would you like to read it with me?”

Raon asked as he received the will from Sheryl.

“No.”

Sheryl shook her head sharply, like a blade.

“If he left it for you, then it has nothing to do with me. That’s just how he is.”

She turned her back, saying she couldn’t disregard Rimmer’s intentions.

“…Understood.”

Raon nodded and unfolded the paper Rimmer had left.

Thud.

A small square note fell out from the letter. Raon picked it up and read it first.

The light handwriting unique to Rimmer made Raon’s heart tighten.

[If this letter reached you, it means I’m dead, right? I don’t know how I died, but don’t mourn too long. Death isn’t that sad for elves. We return to the embrace of nature, becoming mana of the world. We’ll meet again someday. Humans have a saying like that too, right?]

Even in a pre-written will, he mentioned the idea of “parting and reunion.”

If nothing else, it seemed Rimmer had little regret about his own death.

[This is a will, but honestly, I don’t have any final words! I have a few things in mind, but I won’t say them.]

Rimmer had written in his will that he didn’t want to leave any final message. Raon could picture the mischievous grin he must’ve worn while writing it.

[The reason I’m not leaving a will is simple. I don’t want to burden the kids. I’ll take my wishes with me. Just live happily and keep smiling.]

He even drew a picture of a smiling expression, as if to say “laugh with your eyes.”

[You’re probably wondering why I gave this to Sheryl, right? It’s because I have a favor to ask.]

Raon exhaled lightly at the word “favor.”

[Go to my private safe at Barres Bank and use the code to take out the money. Use it to buy snacks and toys, and go to the address below. Once you get there, you’ll know what to do.]

Rimmer included the safe number, the code to unlock it, and a message asking Raon to take care of it.

“……”

Raon memorized the code and bit his lip.

[P.S. 1. If my body is intact, don’t bury it. Burn it and let the wind carry me away. I want to watch over the Light Wind Division from wherever I go.]

Glenn wanted to bury Rimmer in the Zieghart cemetery, but since this was Rimmer’s wish, cremation was the right choice.

“Hoo…”

Raon let out a short breath and moved to the second postscript.

[P.S. 2. Give the note that was in the letter to Sheryl. Visit her from time to time and play with her. She’s weaker than she looks.]

Rimmer ended the will with a request to look after Sheryl. It didn’t feel like a will—more like a letter.

-Truly a will befitting that man…

Wrath lowered his gaze to the ground, saying it was lighthearted but filled with deep care.

“Division Leader.”

Raon extended the note he had been holding to Sheryl.

“This letter was addressed to you.”

“To me…”

Sheryl chewed her lips repeatedly, then reached out with trembling hands to take the letter.

“Ugh…”

The moment she read the first line, her lips quivered. She tried to hold back, but tears soon spilled.

“What does it say?”

“…It’s a secret.”

She said she didn’t want to share it and clutched the note close to her chest.

“I see.”

Raon nodded. If she wanted to keep it to herself, it must’ve been something precious—something only for her.

-B-But I’m curious…

Wrath stretched his neck, trying to read the note over her shoulder.

‘Don’t.’

Raon sighed and pulled Wrath’s tail down.

“Raon. Since you’re carrying on his will, always…”

Sheryl bit her lip as she looked at him.

‘She’s going to tell me not to lose, isn’t she?’

Raon braced himself for a declaration not to fall or be defeated.

But Sheryl’s words were different.

“Carry a bit of lightness and smile more. If you stay that serious all the time, you won’t even be able to use your full strength.”

She smiled faintly, not telling him to be a fool like Rimmer—but to carry a bit of his lightness and joy.

“…Alright. I will.”

Raon nodded calmly, understanding why she told him to smile.

“One more thing.”

Sheryl turned back again just before leaving.

“You’re going to take revenge… aren’t you?”

“I have to.”

Raon nodded. There was no longer any way for him to live under the same sky as Derus.

Even if it cost his life, even if his soul vanished—he would stop Derus’ plans and sever his head.

“I’ll be there with you.”

Sheryl said she would go with him, no matter the circumstances, and then left.

“……”

Raon looked up at the fading dawn and carefully folded Rimmer’s will.

* * *

As soon as morning came, Raon took Dorian and headed to Barres Bank, as mentioned in Rimmer’s will.

“Why are we going to the bank?”

Dorian blinked as he asked, saying that all the money was already with him anyway.

“Master left a request.”

Raon pointed at the bank in front of them as he briefly explained what had happened yesterday.

“C-Can someone like me really come along for something like this? I mean, I…”

Dorian started backing away, saying he wasn’t worthy.

“That’s exactly why I brought you.”

Raon shook his head as he grabbed Dorian’s wrist.

Though everyone in the Light Wind Division was grieving Rimmer’s death, Dorian’s condition was the most severe.

Even after receiving counsel from both Raon and Glenn, his gloom hadn’t lifted.

“Let’s go in.”

Raon dragged Dorian into the bank.

“You’re Sir Raon!”

The guard at the entrance widened his eyes in surprise and asked what business he had.

“I came to check a private safe.”

“Could you provide the safe number?”

“Number 4478-3.”

Raon recited the number written in Rimmer’s will.

“Ah, vault group 4.”

The guard said this wasn’t something that could be handled here and led them to a room deep within the bank.

“Director. A guest has arrived for safe number 4478-3.”

With that, he closed the office door and stepped outside.

“I’ve heard the news.”

The bank director, a large middle-aged man, rose from his chair.

“I don’t know what to say about such a tragic loss.”

He seemed to have had a connection with Rimmer and bowed his head, sorrow in his eyes.

“What was your relationship with my master…?”

Raon returned the bow and asked.

“Let’s talk on the way.”

The director gestured toward the gray vault behind him.

Wooooong—

As his hand touched the vault door, a dimensional passage opened beyond it.

Countless doors stretched endlessly along both sides of a corridor, each labeled with numbers starting in 4.

This must be the dimension where all the vaults starting with 4 were stored.

“Vaults that start with 4 aren’t linked to individuals, but to numbers and passwords. Anyone who knows the number and password can access them, even if they aren’t the owner.”

The director smiled faintly, explaining the flexible use of vault group 4.

“Now then, could you provide the password for vault 4478-3?”

He nodded, standing before the door labeled 4478.

“Hmm…”

Raon didn’t answer right away. His lips only moved faintly.

“……”

The director remained silent, seemingly understanding Raon’s hesitation.

“You okay, sir?”

Dorian blinked, not quite grasping the situation.

“Huu…”

Raon let out a deep, ground-sinking sigh and raised his head.

“5th Training Ground.”

He firmly spoke the password written in Rimmer’s letter.

“Ah…”

Dorian trembled as he realized why Raon had hesitated to speak.

“I met Sir Rimmer on my very first day at this bank. By luck, I was assigned as his account manager.”

The director began entering the code, shaking his head as he spoke.

“True to his elven nature, he had no greed. At first, he deposited his money and didn’t touch it again. He never changed the password—it was ideal from a banking perspective.”

He gave a faint smile, reminiscing.

“But after his subordinates were killed during the war, everything changed. He disappeared for a while, then suddenly returned, spending a long time staring at the gold in his vault. Days later, he withdrew 100 gold coins for the first time. After that, he visited frequently.”

The director sighed, saying it was a drastic shift.

“During that time, he changed the vault’s password constantly. Sometimes it was a name, sometimes a date, and sometimes something cryptic.”

He bit his lip, saying Rimmer had looked mentally and emotionally unstable.

“But after becoming an instructor at the 5th Training Ground, he changed again. The gloom in his eyes vanished, replaced by light and vitality. From then on, the password ‘5th Training Ground’ never changed.”

The director grabbed the vault’s handle, saying Rimmer’s smile back then was one that could lift anyone’s mood.

“Passwords, by nature, reflect something unforgettable—something one wants to remember. For Rimmer-nim, the 5th Training Ground must have been exactly that.”

He murmured that it must have held deep value and opened the vault door.

Kuuuuung!

The magically reinforced steel door swung open, revealing a vault overflowing with gold coins, silver coins, and jewels.

It was hard to believe this belonged to Rimmer, who always whined about being broke.

“This… is Vice Leader’s…?”

Dorian, who had been tearing up at the password, stared with his mouth agape.

“……”

Raon silently looked into the vault for a moment, then took ten gold coins and stepped out.

“He used to withdraw about that much.”

The director chuckled knowingly and closed the vault.

“I’ll be here when you return.”

He bowed as he sealed the dimensional corridor leading to the vault.

“Thank you—for everything.”

Raon bowed in return and exited the bank.

“What are you going to do with that money?”

“He asked me to buy some toys and snacks.”

“Huh? But I already have all of—”

“Let’s just do what he asked.”

Raon calmed the worried Dorian, who was afraid Raon would use his own wallet, and together they bought toys, snacks, and ice cream. Then they headed to the address Rimmer had left.

It was on the outskirts of a medium-sized village outside Zieghart’s walls. A red-roofed building behind a low wall stood out.

‘An orphanage?’

Raon widened his eyes as he read the name on the sign: Slaan Orphanage.

It wasn’t that Rimmer had a child of his own. The place he sent Raon to was an orphanage that cared for children who had lost or been abandoned by their parents.

“Huh?”

“The red-haired big brother is here!”

“No, it’s a blond guy I don’t know!”

“Kyahhh!”

A group of five- or six-year-olds peeked over the wall and squealed before running inside the building.

“W-What was that?”

“…I have no idea.”

As Raon blinked in confusion, a middle-aged man with a kind expression stepped out of the orphanage.

“You kids! Didn’t I tell you not to treat guests like that?”

He gently patted the backs of the children hiding behind him.

“We didn’t say anything!”

“We only said he’s blond…”

“We were just waiting for big brother red-hair!”

The kids shook their heads as if insisting they hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Really…”

The middle-aged man sighed and approached Raon.

“I’ve been expecting you, Sir Raon.”

He looked at Raon’s eyes, hair, and the toys and snacks in his hands before bowing deeply.

“Are you…?”

“Yes. This is Slaan Orphanage, which Sir Rimmer regularly supported.”

The man introduced himself as the director of the orphanage and bowed again.

“V-Vice Leader supported an orphanage? Oh! Come to think of it, I do remember hearing something about that!”

Dorian clapped as he suddenly recalled it.

“He disappeared after that, so I thought it was just a rumor…”

“It wasn’t a rumor. He supported us long before the Light Wind Division was even formed—and even after people passed on, he continued the support.”

The director smiled, saying Rimmer was an extraordinary person.

“What do you mean ‘continued support after someone passed on’?”

“When I was growing up in this orphanage, a Zieghart swordsman named Slaan would visit us weekly, play with us, and offer support. After Sir Slaan died in the war, Sir Rimmer came and took his place—playing with the kids and providing support in many ways.”

He smiled faintly, saying Rimmer was the reason the orphanage was able to maintain such a clean and healthy environment.

“Then the name ‘Slaan Orphanage’…?”

“Sir Rimmer changed it.”

The director nodded, saying everyone agreed to the change.

“I see.”

Raon bit his lip and turned his gaze, locking eyes with some of the children peeking at them.

“The kids don’t know?”

“Sir Rimmer never told them his name. They just called him ‘big brother red-hair.’ He didn’t want to risk making them sad if they heard his name again.”

The director said it had been the same when he was a child and gave a small laugh.

“Of course, the older ones who do know are hiding in the corners, crying where the younger kids won’t see. Myself included…”

He shook his head, still unable to believe it.

“……”

Raon raised a hand and covered his eyes.

‘To think he was doing something like this…’

He hadn’t known about the vault’s wealth, nor that Rimmer was supporting an orphanage. People really did have many different sides.

“May I give the children some gifts?”

“Of course.”

The director welcomed him and stepped aside.

Raon carefully approached the children and opened the lid of a box filled with bead-shaped ice cream.

“Want to eat together?”

“Umm…”

The children, wary of the stranger, swallowed nervously as they looked at the ice cream.

“It’s okay.”

The director smiled gently and nodded. The children finally came out and each took a portion of the ice cream.

“Thanks for the treat!”

“Thank you!”

They laughed happily as they took a bite.

“What flavor is this ice cream?”

“What’s your name, big brother?”

It seemed the ice cream had broken the ice, and the children started chatting with him.

“That’s mint chocolate. As for me… just call me big brother blond.”

Raon didn’t reveal his name. Just like Rimmer, he called himself ‘big brother blond.’

“Oh? Are you big brother red-haired’s friend?”

“When is big brother red-haired coming?”

The kids gathered around, asking when Rimmer would return.

“For a little while…”

Raon gently patted their heads and smiled.

“He went on a trip.”

Rimmer’s journey would surely return to them someday—within their hearts, once they grew up.

As Raon learned more about Rimmer, the frozen sorrow in his chest seemed to melt, just a little.

“Mmh…”

Dorian, too, seemed calmer. He pressed his lips tight, holding back tears.

Perhaps this was why Rimmer left his final request to him.

Feeling the clear, flowing breeze, Raon let slip Rimmer’s familiar, easygoing smile.

* * *

The clearing in front of the dungeon where Raon had used the blade of transcendence to cut down Sif.

Step.

Sharp footsteps echoed atop the broken, shattered ground.

A man in a dark robe, shrouded in shadow, picked up a blood-stained feather and bit his red lips.

“This is the place.”

Derus Robert. His voice, laced with deep fury, made the shadow assassins behind him tremble as if vomiting blood.

“Dig into this place and uncover everything that happened here—even if you have to tear the souls inside out.”

* * * *

(T/N: Damn you Rimmer!! You are still making us sad…)