Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 1145 - 257: Individual Resolutions

Chapter 1145: Chapter 257: Individual Resolutions

"How long have we known each other, big sister, four years? Five years? It hasn’t been very long, but why does it feel like I’ve known you for a lifetime?" Standing in front of Catherine, Lina looked down at the knight girl kneeling on the ground, smiling faintly as she spoke to herself, "That year you brought me home from the street, when I regained consciousness, the first thing I saw were your eyes, so clear, so gentle, free of any impurities. In your eyes, I read your loneliness and solitude, as well as your perseverance and strength. From that moment on, I had made up my mind to stay by your side, to accompany each other until the end of life."

"Since then, we have been together every day, laughing together, crying together, sharing each other’s lives. Our souls have never been apart." Lina reached out to touch Catherine’s black hair, but her pale hand paused in mid-air and then dropped back down, "You probably can’t imagine how important you are to everyone. In fact, just a few minutes ago, we ourselves couldn’t have imagined it. When we realized we might lose you, our hearts almost completely collapsed. Look, now everyone is like a fool, even Freya looks utterly lost, she probably still hasn’t grasped what all this means. And it’s not just her—I myself feel a sense of unreality, everything happened so suddenly, so suddenly that it’s hard for us to accept."

"Last night, when you took those wedding rings, did you ever imagine that something similar could happen to us?" Lina’s smile became more tender but also more desolate, "I admit I never imagined it, at least not for you. In our eyes, you were so strong, forever able to protect us, never falling. We just needed to live happily under your protection and quietly support you. It seems we all forgot that you’re also an ordinary girl, that the tragedies befalling others could happen to you too. So, just last night, we were still sitting together, holding the rings and lamenting that life is full of surprises, grieving for that poor couple forced to turn swords on each other. Who would have thought, after just one day, the same thing would happen to us. Heh, now I understand that without experiencing it firsthand, one can’t truly comprehend how painful it was for them, that the man who had to kill his own wife with a sword probably wished it was himself that was falling."

"However, you’ve been standing in front of us for so many years, bearing the pain of making decisions for us. We know you’re tired, so let me bear this painful thing for you." Lina’s eyes swiveled, seemingly wanting to look at someone behind her, but she forcibly suppressed the urge and just sighed, saying, "Otherwise, this pain would have to be borne by someone else, which would be too cruel."

"I don’t know what will happen in the future, whether this mission can still be completed, but rest assured, big sister, I won’t join you just yet. We will spare no effort to finish what you left undone, and then, we’ll bring you home." At the end, Lina’s voice trembled, but the girl slowly raised the one-handed sword in her hand, the one-handed sword that had just been held by Catherine a few minutes ago, as if it still retained her warmth. The warm temperature made the light longsword seem to gain infinite weight, becoming a burden too heavy for Lina to bear. With her hands exerting all their strength, she could barely lift it high, closing her eyes and tremblingly saying, "Big sister, I’m sorry, but let me, your little sister, accompany you on this last journey."

"Lina, don’t hurt big sister," Vivian cried out in agony, yet didn’t move her feet, "Please, don’t."

"I’m just seeing big sister off. Would you really want to watch everyone become like those crazy things, wandering here forever? You know very well, don’t you, that it’s already beyond saving. This is the best outcome for big sister, which is why you haven’t rushed over to stop me, right?" Lina turned her head, and the girls finally saw the madness and despair in her eyes, a death-like despair. Besides that, there were her bitten, bleeding lips and the blood that wouldn’t stop flowing. The priest girl spoke with a dead gaze, "Because of my hesitation, big sister lost her last chance. I will never forgive myself for that. So let me, alone, bear the sin of killing my own sister. It’s not the first time for me anyway."

"No, it’s not like that," Vivian resisted the excruciating pain from her fractured bones and quickly walked to Lina’s side, gritting her teeth and saying, "You’re right, I also know very well that this is the only way to set big sister free. But it shouldn’t be you who bears it. Big sister fell because of me. It should be me who should send her off."

"Then let’s do it together." Lina put down the one-handed sword, wiped the blood from her mouth, and, taking Vivian’s trembling hand like a leaf in the wind, said to the others, "Freya, Ava, come over too. We’ve owed big sister so much over this time. We’ll see her off with our own hands, you come and bid her farewell, too."

"Whatever decision you’re going to make, you better make it fast," Dee, who had been silent, suddenly spoke in a low voice, "I’ve never heard of anyone being able to hold on for more than ten minutes during the warping process, and those who can last for five minutes are already very strong. Look at her current state, her form is already very unstable. If you wait until she’s completely turned into energy, there will be no more choices left, so there’s no more time for contemplation, the choice must be made right now."

Dillie’s words were abrupt, seeming to urge Lina to kill Catherine, yet also sounding like he was merely talking to himself. However, the priestess girl was no longer interested in thinking so much. Holding Vivian’s hand, she held the sword above Catherine’s neck and nodded. "I know we don’t have much time left, but we’ve already made our decision. Big sister, don’t worry, soon I’ll bring you home, back to that warmest place you’ve built with your own hands, and we’ll never be apart again."

"Enough, he’s not talking to you. He’s urging me." The sword that was forcefully swung down suddenly stopped in mid-air, a hand grasping the blade, the back of the hand’s veins bulging out from the pressure, deforming the solid sword with the grip of a palm. Pannis emerged from behind the girls, took the longsword from Lina and Vivian’s powerless hands, and spoke with his back to the four girls: "What you’ve done is enough. Leave the rest to me. The fundamental reason for Catherine becoming like this was my negligence just now. Even if I have to bear this sin, it should be me who bears it."

Before the girls’ eyes, they found themselves standing next to the scorpion-tailed lion Dillie, while Pannis remained standing in front of Catherine, as if he hadn’t moved at all.

"Pannis, you..." Lina began, her eyes reddened, but Pannis sternly interrupted her. It was the first time he had ever treated the girls with such brusque attitude: "Shut up, all of you. You’ve done nothing wrong. Do you think your Divine Spell was timely enough to avoid consequences? That half-second hesitation couldn’t have fully purified it; the outcome is the same whether you paused or not. And you, do you think Catherine wouldn’t be corrupted just because you weren’t there to record the data? As long as I overlooked the possibility lying beneath, the situation wouldn’t change. That’s why I said earlier, the responsibility lies with me. Whatever happens next, it has nothing to do with you. Remember, whatever it is, it’s not your fault."

"Seems like you’ve made your decision," said Dillie, lying on the ground without lifting his head. "Is this really okay? Don’t forget, she might still be waiting for your help."

"I know, but I’ve already decided," Pannis spoke soberly with his back to everyone. "I’ve been cowardly, I’ve run away. So this time, I won’t run away. I know, maybe, just maybe, she might be waiting for my help. But if I were to run away because of that, it would only disappoint her again. I’ve let her down once already. If I let her down again this time, if I let Catherine die in front of me like she did, then I won’t have the right to stand in front of her ever again."

"Though I don’t think your decision is the right one, nor do I think you even have a one in ten thousand chance, since you’re so determined, I can only wish you good luck," Dillie said after a moment’s silence and sighed, "Then, saying goodbye in advance, Kyle, my friend. It’s been an honor knowing you in this world."

"Heh, we might see each other again soon, don’t forget, I’ve never lost a bet to you," Pannis’s palm hovered just millimeters away, gently touching the knight girl’s black hair, and he said with a light laugh, "But just to be safe, let’s say it now, farewell everyone. I understand your feelings, thank you. I love you all just the same. And remember what I just said, whatever happens, it’s not your fault."

After his final words, Pannis suddenly opened his arms, bent down, and hugged the semi-tangible knight girl tightly, forehead against forehead, nose to nose, standing still in embrace.

"Pannis, what are you doing?" The last thing Pannis heard were the horrified cries of the girls and the tremendous roar from Dillie: "Stop! Do you want his efforts to be in vain? Wait patiently. This is a gamble you can’t be part of."