“Outside Axel City, about half a day’s walk, there’s a graveyard.” “A graveyard?” “Yes.
It’s where the dead from the war are buried.
Because so many people died then and weren’t properly interred, a lot of vengeful spirits and undead creatures gathered there.” Wiz’s voice grew softer and softer.
“I sometimes go there…
to chat with the spirits.
They’re not bad people, they’re just trapped in that place, unable to leave…” “Enough.” Ash interrupted her.
Wiz closed her mouth, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.
“Are you going to…
purify them?” “Not purify.” Ash’s lips curled slightly.
“It’s salvation!” He turned around, tugged on the chain around Aqua’s waist, and walked towards the door.
“Miss Wiz, please lead the way.” “Eh?” Wiz was stunned.
“L-lead the way?” “Yes.
You know the way, take us there.” “But…” Wiz looked at Ash, then at Aqua, and finally in the direction of the door.
“Those spirits really aren’t bad people, they’re just…” “That’s why I said it’s salvation.” Ash looked back at her.
“Isn’t it a good thing to free them from centuries of bondage?” Wiz opened her mouth, unable to find a reason to refute.
She lowered her head, clutching the hem of her skirt, and was silent for a few seconds.
Then she let out a soft sigh.
“Alright…
I’ll take you there…
Please follow me…” The graveyard was in a wasteland east of Axel City.
Calling it a graveyard was inaccurate; it was more like a mass grave.
Overgrown mounds of earth followed one after another, some with crooked stone tablets, others with no tablets at all, just a bare stone.
Since it was still daytime, the sunlight cast over this wasteland didn’t give it too much of a spooky feeling.
A few crows stood on dry branches, tilting their heads to observe the newcomers.
Wiz walked in front, Aqua followed in the middle, and Ash’s hand remained on the Enkidu, preventing her from suddenly acting out.
Ash’s gaze swept across the wasteland, mentally estimating the number of undead beneath the ground.
At least a hundred.
“This is it.” Wiz stood at the entrance of the graveyard, clasped her hands together, and bowed inside.
“Excuse me…
I’ve brought people…
I hope you don’t mind…” Aqua stood beside Ash, still chained by the Enkidu, but this time she wasn’t yelling about Purification.
She looked at the uneven tombstones, her expression uncharacteristically quiet.
“Who are all these people buried here?” Ash asked.
“Adventurers.” Wiz said softly.
“Many Adventurers died in battle.
Some bodies were recovered and properly buried.
But for others…
only partial remains were found, or even nothing at all.
They could only erect empty markers as a memorial.” “They’re actually very pitiful…
it’s not that they don’t want to leave, but they can’t.
No one performs salvation for them, and no one remembers them.
They can only stay here, watching the sun rise and set, year after year…” Aqua fell silent.
Although she was a goddess, she had never seriously considered the act of salvation.
In the heavens, she merely performed her duties mechanically, guiding the souls of the dead to their designated places, then taking a drink and moving on to the next.
She had never thought about what would happen to souls that no one guided.
“Ash…” Aqua suddenly spoke.
“Hmm?” “What do you plan to do?” “What do you think?” Ash countered.
“I…” Aqua hesitated.
“I think they should be saved.
Let them rest in peace.” “Does that require money?” “It shouldn’t…
salvation is a goddess’s duty, why would it need money…” “Then if there’s no bounty for saving them, would you still do it?” Aqua froze.
She looked at the tombstones, then at Ash, opened her mouth, then closed it.
After a long while, she finally said: “I’ll do it.” “Why?” “Because…
they are Adventurers, just like us now.
If one day you all die in battle and no one performs salvation for you, becoming lonely spirits, I would feel terrible.” Ash looked at Aqua, saying nothing.
This was the first time he had heard such serious words from Aqua.