On a particularly quiet late night, it felt as if the whole world was holding its breath in silence.
Outside the window, the wind had calmed, and the leaves were submerged in darkness without the slightest movement.
Even the faint sounds of crickets in the distance seemed to accentuate the stillness.
The air was calm yet laced with a strange tension, so quiet that it felt oddly unfamiliar.
– Whoosh! Whoosh!
As I quietly watched Ellie, Iris, and Rune, who were sprawled in a heap in my room, I suddenly heard a sharp sound slicing through the stillness from outside the nun’s building.
– Whoosh! Whoosh!
At the sound, I perked up my ears and turned my head.
I slowly got up from my place and moved toward the hallway, as if drawn by something.
Beyond the dark hallway windows, I caught sight of Aizen swinging a half-a-greatsword heavily in the moonlight, using it as a lantern.
– Clang
“You’re working really hard. Can’t you sleep?”
As I opened the closed window and casually spoke, Aizen finally stopped what he was doing and gently met my gaze.
“Oh, Levi—.”
“If you overdo it, you’ll suffer tomorrow.”
“It’s fine. I often stand watch like this when I camp outside.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Besides, I realized a lot today. Moving around like this is much more efficient for me than just lying down and organizing my thoughts.”
“Hmm. So Aizen can actually think now, huh?”
“Of course. I’m twenty now.”
They still look like kids to me, but sometimes when they show me how much they’ve grown, time feels truly meaningless.
At times, I suddenly forget that I’m watching them grow up.
The speed of their growth is far faster than I ever imagined, and now it’s hard to keep up with the changes.
“So, what did you realize today?”
“…It’s not a big deal. I just finally managed to organize something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.”
“Is that so?”
“Well, most of it is about Levi—.”
At Aizen’s response, I tilted my head slightly, blinking slowly.
“Now that I think about it, it feels really strange that Levi retired from adventuring and became a nun. Why did I believe it without any doubt back then?”
“Oh, that’s… because you were young.”
“To be honest, even after turning 15, I had no idea Levi was a vampire.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Occasionally, I heard rumors about this church, but I just thought they were simple gossip and didn’t give it much thought.”
As the conversation seemed to lengthen, Aizen plopped down into a seat and took a deep breath.
“I didn’t even know that much until Iris told me. She somehow thought Levi might be the vampire in the rumors.”
“I was a bit worried since she always brought back old texts whenever she went to the village… and it turns out I was right.”
“Iris has always been serious about books, even hugging them while she sleeps.”
Iris is quite knowledgeable.
Though she may not have a sharp intuition, she always displays extraordinary insight when it comes to knowledge-related matters.
Her focus in learning and understanding is unmatched, and she excels in finding meaning in everything she hears and experiences.
Looking back, hiding the truth from Iris, with those perceptive eyes, was probably impossible from the start.
“If it weren’t for that incident back then, rumors about me wouldn’t have spread so much, and you wouldn’t have doubted me. It’s a bit disappointing.”
“No, if it weren’t for that incident, we might have suspected Levi more. Perhaps we would have even had worse suspicions.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“Because we were foolish.”
At Aizen’s rather short and concise response, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
“You might think we’re ungrateful brats who don’t appreciate the upbringing, but as people grow, they start to have various thoughts.”
“That’s true.”
“The later you realize, the more complicated it gets, and more things become intertwined.”
I nodded thoughtfully at Aizen’s words.
The conflicts and worries people face as they grow often carry depths and weights that I cannot even imagine.
The more time they are given, the more complex the realities they face become, and in that process, past memories and beliefs inevitably begin to waver.
Aizen probably wanted to express that.
“So I’m grateful that we were able to realize Levi early on. I’m really glad Iris loves books.”
“You’re being quite sentimental today. I didn’t know you had this side to you, Aizen.”
“I won’t ask why a demon like Levi stayed in such a church or why she took us in when we were on the brink of death. That doesn’t matter anymore.”
Aizen had raised his head high, gazing softly at the night sky.
The childish form I once knew is nowhere to be found now.
“You don’t need to think deeply about me. You all should just think about your futures.”
Leaning against the window frame, I watched Aizen silently for a moment.
Am I really caring for these children because they are the messiahs who will save the world?
Ten years have already passed since I spent time with them, and now, reflecting on that time, I realize that the time I spent wasn’t solely for that purpose.
“But, with such a strong Levi around… do we really need to step up and take down the demon king?”
“Huh?”
“Levi is a vampire, but she stands on the opposite side of those monsters. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better for Levi to directly take down the demon king without us stepping in…?”
“Do you want to see the demon king’s downfall from me? After that incident, countless bad rumors spread about me. What would happen if I took care of the demon king?”
“Ah, that’s true.”
I wonder if I hadn’t thought about that.
Rather than needing to train the kids to tackle the demon king, I could just step in myself and resolve the issue quickly.
But no one knows how much danger such a solution would entail.
And the consequences would certainly impact not just me but also my relationship with the children.
Because I am a vampire.
“Furthermore, I’m quite satisfied with my current life. You all have grown wonderfully, and we have the safest home in the world.”
“…Levi.”
“Yes.”
“Will you stay here?”
I paused for a moment and narrowed my eyes, tilting my head slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Well… the difficulty of the requests we’re receiving is gradually increasing, so I might not be able to come to the church as often….”
“Why is that?”
“I know Levi is strong and that there’s no real problem being alone, but…”
“You’re not thinking of asking me to accompany you on your journey, are you?”
At my quiet remark, Aizen flinched and began to fidget anxiously.
It seems he had thought about it.
“I’ve always said this, but for you who have become adults, I’m just a hindrance now.”
“A hindrance? That can’t be.”
“No. I cherish and love you all, but I don’t want to be anything more than your guardian. You are destined to become great adventurers who will illuminate the world.”
“That’s separate from our feelings for you…”
“Moreover, I’m a member of the demon tribe. What do you think people would think if I were between you all?”
“Just hide it. People don’t really know what Levi looks like yet. They don’t even know what you look like.”
“Aizen.”
In my deep sigh, a mix of complexity and frustration was clearly conveyed.
As soon as he realized my reaction, Aizen stiffened like a statue and slowly lowered his head, biting his lower lip.
“My next request will likely be something I won’t return from for months… Even if I solve it and come back, the requests will only get tougher….”
“That’s what being an adventurer is about. You learned that early on, which is why you practiced camping since childhood.”
“That’s right. I know that well. But if the situation continues and I can’t return here….”
“Then it can’t be helped.”
Before Aizen could finish his words, I interjected with a cold tone, and the atmosphere instantly darkened, making everything feel icy.
“Look. Already, my existence is blocking your paths.”
“…….”
Aizen’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but he soon understood the situation and began to bow his head even deeper.
Though it was a bit pitiful, it was something I had to do from my position.
“Now, leave this small church behind and go see more of the world. This place no longer suits you now that you’ve become adults.”
“…….”
This was something I had been thinking about and preparing for a long time.
I know better than anyone that the children must leave this place and walk new paths.
That’s why I had to speak bluntly.
No matter how affectionate our relationship is, we cannot be together for a lifetime.
“I’m sorry, Levi… I had a moment of childish thought….”
“It’s okay.”
With that one word, Aizen slowly rose from his seat.
For some reason, he didn’t show me his face at all, but the voice that followed carried an inexplicable sense of relief, so I didn’t bother to ask why.
“Time flies. It’s already been ten years since I’ve been with Levi.”
“Indeed. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like enough time to even call myself a parent, and I don’t know what more to say.”
As I spoke with an awkward smile, Aizen’s voice suddenly rang out, leaving me momentarily bewildered.
“Well—. Isn’t that just Levi’s own thought?”
“Huh?”
Aizen, who didn’t answer my question and began walking somewhere calmly, left me staring absentmindedly, blinking my eyelids repeatedly.
“I need to head to the capital as soon as the day breaks. We’ve become too famous to be stuck in a place like this, just as you said.”
“…We have become quite famous.”
“I probably won’t be back for a while. There are too many places that need us.”
“That’s right. Have fun and enjoy yourself.”
“Yeah. I’ll come back even more dependable than now.”
Thus, the conversation that started in the middle of the night with Aizen came to a close.
In many ways, the conversation was emotional, yet the conclusion felt quite simple.
Nevertheless, neither Aizen nor I added anything further.
It was already enough.
What was left for us afterward was only the tranquil time flowing silently without words.
– Rustle
Just then, as I was deeply immersed in emotions and enjoying the solitude, the world tree in the middle of the garden suddenly started shaking its branches violently, making a loud noise.
As if it wanted my attention.
“…What’s going on?”
It seemed like it had something it wanted to convey.
However, since my relationship with the world tree was still not very good, I deliberately turned my head away, pretending not to notice, and closed the window nonchalantly.
“Ha… is it finally time for me to leave this church….”
