—–
Erika had come later on, bringing her old father, who had brought green-colored flasks, only six of them, which had a special healing tonic he had been saving in his storage for some time.
They were expensive, but there was no point in thinking about money as of now. We quickly gave one to each person, alongside some of my own pills, although I still saved some for my father for the next few days.
The entire operation continued for an entire day without stopping. I used magic and everything else I could do. The people around assisted me with utensils, warm water, and other things, while I brought myself to my limits.
The spirit orbs were disappearing constantly as I constantly healed my mana over and over again, strong headaches were hitting me constantly, my head felt like it was about to burst open.
When I ended up patching the last wound, I felt like I was finally able to rest, and without realizing it, dropped unconscious on the floor…
“Blake!”
“I-Is he okay?”
“He’s too exhausted…”
…
I found myself within the fragments of my past, the memories of my previous life, of that long life.
I sometimes remember that life as a long dream, sometimes I don’t recognize myself within those memories.
In these years, have I changed that much?
I compare myself to my old self in such a life, and I can’t help but think that I have become weaker, softer, and more… human than ever before.
Perhaps because I am now a human and not a Vampire?
Nonetheless, it feels odd.
These memories…
Why are they surging now of all times?
In such memories…
There was a little girl with long white hair.
Resting on a bed.
Her smile seemed pure, filled with innocence. Her bright yellow-gold eyes looked at me tenderly.
But she seemed weak… she was weakening with every passing second.
Her entire body was slowly growing weaker, the life was flowing out of it.
And her breath… was growing slower.
She held my hand tightly, as her eyes released small tears.
“Papa… Don’t be sad…”
An indescribable sorrow took over my entire being.
I gritted my teeth as I looked at the girl, while Eleanora held my hand and looked at the girl with pity.
“I am sorry…” I cried.
“It’s fine…” she sighed.
“No… It’s not fine…” I insisted.
“You did… what… you could… right? That’s what matters…” she said weakly.
“What I could?! But… it was not enough….” I cried.
“I am happy… even if we… spent little time together…:” she said.
“AH…!”
Tears began to flow from my eyes, as I looked at this girl.
“Don’t leave me…” I muttered.
“Don’t worry… I won’t…” she said.
“Saphira…” I sighed.
“As long as you remember my name… and who I was… as long… as I remain in your heart… I will never be truly gone… right?” she said.
A radiant smile surged across the girl’s face, as her white teeth shone brightly.
Why are you smiling even before death?
Saphira…
I remember who she was now.
I remember you…
You were the first person aside from Eleanora that I lost.
And… the first person I couldn’t save.
I couldn’t save you no matter how hard I tried.
No matter what I tried to do.
I simply lacked the power, the resources, the time…
She was a special girl…
I remember meeting her in the sewers, barely hanging on by herself.
She was a special girl, a half-specter.
Half-specters are people whose one parent was often human and the other a specter.
But what are specters? They were a race of people from my previous life. Non-corporeal beings that had many supernatural abilities.
But the problem was… half-specters were unable to live until reaching maturity, their bodies would simply stop working.
They wouldn’t be able to maintain themselves and they would perish.
Specters need to absorb energy from the environment to sustain themselves, something they do naturally.
But half-specters don’t possess this ability and their physical bodies cannot consume enough food to compensate for the energy they need.
Saphira…
She had the power to see through walls.
Thanks to her, we were able to learn many things and even learned a lot of secret plans from enemy organizations.
Like this, our small guild was able to defeat many enemies, and thanks to that little girl… we also learned what love was.
She always called Eleanora and I “mama” and “papa”…
I see now… Saphira…
This is why… I suddenly had such frustration over letting others simply die.
Because I didn’t want to repeat the same thing that happened to you.
I lacked magic knowledge back then, even less medical knowledge, or any of the abilities I can use now, even as I am weaker than that former self.
And due to being ignorant in everything, I couldn’t save you.
I wish I could turn back in time now… to the time back then.
And save you…
…
But she’s right… As long as you are within my memories, you’ll never truly die.
…Right?
Saphira…
“You’re seeing it too?”
“Ah?”
Suddenly, I found Eleanora at my side, hugging me from behind.
“Eleanora…?” I asked.
“I saw it… Somehow, we seem to be able to share dreams too…” she sighed.
“…”
“You miss her?” she asked.
“…Don’t you?” I sighed.
“Hm… Even after thousands of years since her death…I cannot possibly forget about my little girl…” sighed Eleanora.
Eleanora’s hand tightly held mine.
“It has truly been a ride, hasn’t it?” she sighed.
“Yeah…” I sighed.
“I see why you helped those people… and why you helped your father so desperately now… Saphira wouldn’t had let you simply ignore them, right?” asked Eleanora.
“…”
“And within that girl… Erika… You see Saphira in her, don’t you?” asked Eleanora.
“…”
“I guess you don’t have to say anything… I am the one that understands you the most…” she said.
“…Thank you for being at my side, Eleanora…” I said.
“I will always stay at your side…” she said.
—–