Every shadow that fell on this continent could be put under his feet.
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“There are penalties, of course. If I don't keep my oath, besides what I paid for, the amount of strength I gained will shatter my soul.”
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There was only one time when I didn't keep my vow.
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Vera still remembered the pain of that moment clearly.
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It was like his existence was being torn into pieces, a pain that made cold sweat flow through one's body just by thinking about it.
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That moment was more painful than everything he had ever experienced in his life, and he feared it more than anything.
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The pain that came from breaking the oath was that kind of pain.
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So, I will never break my oath again. I vowed.
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“…But, because of you, I broke my oath again.”
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Because of you, I broke the oath I made for the rest of my life, that I would never feel regret, that I would be willing to bear the punishment for all the sins I had committed in my life.
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After meeting you, I regretted my life because of your light.
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Now his soul would be wiped out. Will there be only an insignificant speck of dust remaining? Even if he didn't know, it was clear that it would be difficult for him to remain in existence.
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With such thoughts in mind, Vera looked at Renee blankly and reflected on the past 15 days or so he spent with her.
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Those times seemed to last forever, yet passed by so quickly.
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If I had to pick one of the most miserable moments of my life, those moments would be number one. However, ironically, those moments are also the ones I cherished the most.
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Vera savored the thoughts passing through his head as he stared at Renee with a vision so blurred he couldn't properly distinguish anything.
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Slowly, his lips moved involuntarily as he spoke.
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"…I have lived for myself my entire life. However."
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Those words weren't accidental. It was just this unfamiliar feeling making me say that.
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That's what I wanted to say to her, who made these feelings of 'regret' sprout inside of me.
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“If there is a next life, if my soul still remains…”
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That, you were the one who changed me.
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"… then I don't mind living for you. When I'm with you, I feel like I can live a life without regrets."
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By your side, even this evil being would dare to live what could be called life.
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Saying so, Vera used his stigma for the last time in his life.
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“Yeah, that would be nice. It won't be much, but... I will use everything remaining in my soul in this oath.”
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The stigma burned with a gold hue.
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Now I can engrave the oath on this stigma.
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Vera, as always, engraved an oath on the golden stigma.
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"If I'm allowed to live another life, that life... I'll live for you. I swear."
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I will put you in the most honorable position and live standing by your side, and devote my life to protecting you.
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I engraved such an oath into my soul.
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My body reverberated as the oath was engraved. I felt a burning sensation in my soul.
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It was a feeling that was infinitely close to pure abstraction, but was a feeling very familiar to Vera, who had been using the stigma throughout his life.
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Only after confirming that the stigma had been activated, Vera slowly closed his eyes.
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Like that, he was thinking, 'I’m going to die at last.'
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Tick-
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In Vera's ears, the sound of a clock was heard.