* * *

Trembling, I open the door.

“Hiih…!?”

All at once, the gazes of the evacuees in the room turned this way, and a few small screams rose upon seeing my blood-soaked appearance.

But I ignore such reactions.

In the center of the room, a man with a villain’s face is lying down.

My eyes saw nothing but that man.

“O-Old man…”

I approach unsteadily and sit down beside him.

The face of the old man, Giovanno, is pale.

His breathing is very rough, and he groans occasionally.

He’s sweating terribly.

The alcohol-smelling woman next to him is desperately grinding medicinal herbs and making him drink them, but it seems to have little effect.

The old man seems to be in great pain.

What woke me up as I unconsciously continued to take in its flesh and blood after the fierce battle with the golden bear was the panicked voice of the scout Modokin.

“It’s terrible! Gio-Giovanno-san has been stabbed!”

“Wh-What did you say!?”

I could also hear the perverted old geezer’s voice.

It seems he had moved here without me noticing.

Where was I when I heard their conversation?

Inside the flesh of the golden bear.

The golden bear’s body is huge.

Without realizing it, as I continued to eat it, I seemed to have burrowed into the golden bear’s body like an earthworm digging through the soil.

I hurriedly dug through the flesh towards the outside world, tore through the fur, and poked my head out.

“What do you mean…!?”

“”Uwaaaaahhh!!?””

The two were certainly surprised to see me suddenly crawling out of the carcass of a giant bear, but being used to my actions, they immediately explained the situation to me.

In other words, the defense of the base was successful.

However, an assassin mixed among the evacuees had stabbed the old man.

As a result, the old man was on the verge of death due to poison.

That seemed to be the case.

As soon as I heard that, I couldn’t stand still, abandoned the flesh and blood of the golden bear, and ran to the old man.

* * *

“Ugh… mmh… Emi…?”

Noticing me sitting down beside him, the old man Giovanno opened his eyes slightly.

His focus is off.

He may not be able to see properly.

“Yeah.”

“Are you… injured…?”

“I’m healed.”

“…I see… in any case…”

Saying that, the old man stretched out his trembling hand and patted my head.

“I’m glad… you’re safe…”

He said that and smiled.

Even though he must be in unbearable pain.

Even though he must be suffering unbearably.

He was happy for my safety.

“Why…”

I was dumbfounded.

“Why did this happen…”

I look at the corner of the room.

There, I see a woman tied up with ropes and a boy being held down by an adventurer named Yuju.

“They did it?”

I stand up unsteadily.

“They’re the bad ones.”

I start walking shakily.

“Should I kill them?”

I ready a chop.

I don’t release killing intent.

I don’t use 【Intimidation】.

Surely because it would be poison to the weakened old man.

The boy glares at me with a defiant look.

The woman has an insolent attitude.

She’s grinning.

“…Stop it, you idiot…”

But the one who stopped me, who was like that, was none other than the old man.

“…Why?”

“This is… divine punishment… I am a great sinner… I must accept it…”

And the old man said such incomprehensible things.

* * *

His consciousness fading due to the poison circulating throughout his body.

But even in the midst of that suffering, Giovanno felt somewhat relieved.

His life was saved by Emi and he was ordered to live.

But deep in Giovanno’s heart, there was always a sense of guilt that tormented him.

It was painful.

It was agonizing.

His own life is reaped by his past karma.

He thought it was the best possible ending.

Ah, the end is near.

Soon, he will probably die.

Realizing that, Giovanno wanted to see Emi’s face one last time.

The face of his benefactor.

The face of Emi, whom he… thought of and loved like a daughter.

Emi had suppressed her murderous intent and sat down beside him again.

With the last of his strength, he pats her head.

Thank you.

He murmurs that.

He doesn’t know if it came out as a voice.

But here.

Giovanno suddenly notices.

Plop,plop.

Something cold is hitting his face.

They were tears.

Tears falling from Emi, who was peering into his face.

When he noticed that.

He.

…Regretted it.

And for the first time at this late hour, he truly thought he didn’t want to die.

Because he realized that dying and leaving his beloved daughter behind is a great, great sin.

Both living and dying are sins.

He was truly a hopeless great sinner.

Ah, he can no longer see anything.

His body won’t move either.

Words won’t come out.

Amidst that, there was only one thing Giovanno could do.

And that was to pray.

And so, the great sinner Giovanno died.

He died while still covered in sin.

He died while praying for his daughter’s happiness.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com