Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat

Chapter 273

A massive crowd gathered in the street.

The barrier that had been protecting them was gone, and due to the recent invasion by the witch, magic had spread close to the city, leaving them in a state of fear; yet, so many people had come out.

The reason all these people braved their fears to take to the streets was that today was the day to bid farewell to those who had sacrificed themselves to protect them from the Gluttony Witch.

“Well then, we will set off now.”

Soon, a procession bearing the coffin passed through the street where people lined up.

The procession, which started from the outskirts of the city, was headed toward the crematorium in the city center.

“Ugh, hic...”

“May they rest in peace there...”

The returning procession led by the families and friends of the heroes who had fallen while defending the city carried the meaning of bringing them to a peaceful resting place.

People watched the procession, shedding tears or bowing their heads in silent tribute to those who had departed.

“...We have arrived.”

The procession carrying the coffins finally reached the crematorium after a long passage through the lined streets.

The reason the destination was the crematorium was that, given the limited land they had, all funerals were conducted through cremation.

Though there were occasionally those who found it hard to endure burning the bodies of their family, today— for better or worse— there was no issue of that nature at all.@@@@

As a result of approaching the Gluttony Witch, the bodies had all been transformed and scattered by magic, leaving not even a single strand of hair behind.

So what filled the coffins now were not the corpses but the personal belongings of the deceased.

And thus, the funeral proceeded in an even more solemn atmosphere.

The absence of bodies meant there had been fierce battles, and it indicated that those who had departed had sacrificed themselves to protect everyone.

The remaining ones had the duty to live on, ensuring they would remember their sacrifices for the rest of their lives.

“Well then, we will proceed with the cremation.”

“Ah...”

Soon, the procedure for the cremation began.

The families of the deceased, despite the coffins containing only belongings, found it hard to part with the coffins.

They felt that the moment they let go of the coffins was the moment their loved ones would leave them forever.

But now was the time to finally let them go.

A funeral serves not only for the departed but also as a ritual for those who remain.

The dead do not return.

Accepting that truth was never an easy task; however, the remaining ones, holding back tears, made an effort to gather their feelings and let the coffins go.

“Miss Scarlet, the fire.”

“...Yes.”

The coffins were placed side by side on the ground for all to see, and Scarlet, who had fought alongside them in this battle, lit the flames on the lined coffins.

As the coffins were quietly engulfed in flames, Mark Aegis, the principal of Aegis Academy, began his commemorative speech on behalf of the fallen.

Natalia and Leon were Mark’s former students from the academy, and Eve was like family to him, which is why he was given the honor to deliver the eulogy.

“Today, we are here to bid farewell to the heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect humanity.

They dedicated their lives not just on this occasion but throughout their entire existence to humanity, leaving this world as heroes until their very last moment.

We must always remember their sacrifice.”

Mark looked at the left coffin among the three at the front.

“Natalia Eloise was an outstanding hero.

She was a courageous hero who stepped forward to the front lines more than anyone else, and a dedicated leader who perfectly executed every mission entrusted to her.

Even when faced with the situation of sacrificing her own life, she remained steadfast.

I remember when she was still a student at the academy and unexpectedly became pregnant.

However, none of the teachers who saw her were overly concerned.

They believed in her, knowing that she would manage excellently under any circumstances.

And I felt the same when I saw Marine Eloise, who entered the academy.

Seeing her grow up so splendidly, I realized that Natalia had indeed succeeded as both a hero and a parent, just as she had hoped.

But having watched her for a long time, Mark found he could no longer stop her.

Seeing her slowly losing strength and occasionally suffering because of it, he could no longer plead for her to regain her power.

He was the only one in the world who knew her secret.

How could he stop Eve, who had yearned for humanity but had realized it was impossible, who at the very least wished to die like a human?

So Mark thought he would carry that sorrow and that secret alone until Eve passed away.

It just so happened that everyone ended up discovering her secret.

“...You may not know. She wished to be human more than anything else in her life.

Having lived among humans her entire life, she desired more than anything to be like them.”

Once, he had joined Eve at a prominent hero’s funeral.

Watching the sight of many people shedding tears in remembrance, Mark noticed a peculiar expression on Eve’s face despite her sorrow.

He had asked her what she was thinking.

In response, Eve said:

“I was just wondering... when I die someday, will people cry for me like that? If so many people are grieving, it means I must have lived a good life... Haha, but who knows if I’ll actually die?”

Eve had replied with a slight smile that expressed her yearning, but Mark sensed that a bittersweet tone was hidden beneath that smile.

Now, he felt he understood why.

Eve likely thought that if she died, being honored as a human while concealing her identity as a witch would be deceiving to them.

But what did reality hold, contrary to her concerns?

Mark observed as Eve’s coffin was transported.

He witnessed the many people in the street crying over her death.

Despite the revelation of her identity as a witch, they mourned her pure and unprejudiced.

When the funeral concluded, Eve’s name would be inscribed on the memorial alongside the names of countless others who had sacrificed their lives.

She would be engraved on a monument for humanity’s history and their sake.

Yet, no one rejected that.

Could it not be a testament to the life she had lived?

“Maybe this is why. From what I’ve seen, she was more human than any of us.

She genuinely taught her students, always giving for the sake of others, and

sacrificed herself until her very last moment.

She truly lived and died like a human being.

So I will remember her not as a witch but as a human being.

That was what she had wished for throughout her life.

And I hope, if possible, you all feel the same.”

Mark pleaded with the people.

That they remember Eve as a human being.

There was no immediate response.

But a response was unnecessary.

The sight of everyone shedding tears while mourning her death was, in essence, their answer.

If you were to see this scene, you would likely be pleased.

Thinking that, Mark softly murmured, wanting to convey this happening to her.

“......Did you see this?

Your life was so beautiful that so many people mourned your passing.

So now, please rest easy.

Eve.

Born a witch,

yet

died a human.”