As I watch Tigurka’s tree crumble away, no tears fall out. I wonder why I don’t cry for Tigurka as I’ve cried for my parents or my friends. That empty hollow feeling also wasn’t there.

I guess this is what Tigurka calls a happy farewell. I’ve never experienced this before but it’s definitely better than the way my parents left me. I wonder if I’ll have anyone give me a happy farewell when I die. If Fifi’s still with me by the time I die then I’m sure she’ll send me off with a smile but is there anyone else.

Lisa calls me her little brother but that is just because she depends on me. She was in a state where her world was turned upside down and she needed someone to cling to. The feelings she has created for me are just fabricated. I’m sure she wouldn’t be there to send me off.

Mako, on the other hand, might or might not be there for me when I die. There are times when she seems to abhor me and times when she doesn’t even care about me, but deep down I know she cares for me even if it’s just a little. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come back to save me within the prison.

I guess my life is really empty of people who care for me. Is this how Tigurka felt when he learned that all of the people under his protection were gone? Did he have this feeling of loneliness? I wonder if being there with him made him happy in the end.

“How did you feel, Tigurka? Were you happy with me being there by your side?”

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here but I wanted to watch the big tree in its last moments. The moment Tigurka’s body had disappeared, he had teleported me out of the golden room. From the top down, the big tree was turning into ashes. All of Tigurka’s ashes were being carried off by the wind.

More time passes and the big tree finally disappears from this world. Every single sign of Tigurka ever being here was gone and the only thing left behind was a massive crater. It was time for me to leave.

As soon as I was about to get up, I felt something hit my head. It didn’t hurt but who would throw something at me? Behind me was an empty abyss where Tigurka once stood. Looking back, there was something on the ground. Picking it up and looking at it, this thing was a seed. I hold onto the seed tightly before putting it away in my pocket. This must be Tigurka’s last gift to me.

“DADDY!!!”

A familiar shrill voice enters my ears. Turning around I can see that little ghost girl running towards me. I wonder if she was there the entire time I was inside of Tigurka. There was a large smile on her face like she was seeing her father she hasn’t seen in years. Her arms were wide open and she was trying to embrace me. If it was last week I would have avoided her but I won’t this time.

Similarly, I open my arms and go in for a big hug. Her entire body was freezing and I could feel my mana being sapped away.

“Daddy! Daddy! I missed you so much!!! You’re so warm!!!”

“Hahaha, Daddy wouldn’t want you to be cold!”

I wonder what she had gone through to have become a vengeful ghost. From what I know, her father was the person who killed her but even then, she still loves him from the bottom of her heart. I’m sure they must have once been a happy family.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing, Daddy? You should smile like you used to. Eva loves your smile, Daddy!”

She was staring at me with her empty eye sockets but on her face was a gentle and sweet smile. It was the smile of an innocent little girl.

“HAHAHAHA!!! Thank you, Eva. Daddy has missed you very much. I’m so sorry that I made you wait out in the cold. Daddy’s an idiot! You know what, let’s go visit Mommy and we can be a happy family again.”

“Really! I can’t wait!”

I hug her tighter as her coldness penetrates my body. I’ll give her as much warmth as she wants because that’s the only thing I can do for her. I can’t save her or protect her but I can send her to reunite with her family.

“Gentle flame guide this lost one towards her loved ones. Warm her heart and warm her body on her path to the afterlife. Guiding Flame.”

“What are you saying, Daddy?”

“Nothing much. Just a little magic spell that will keep you warm from now on.”

“Hehehe, it’s so warm, Daddy.”

Her body was fading away. I’m glad that I remembered to have Tigurka teach me about light magic. I was able to put this little ghost girl to rest.

“You’ve been a good girl, Eva.”

“Can I come home now, Daddy?”

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“Of course!”

“Hehehe, thank you.”

“Welcome home, Eva.”

I continue to hold her as the last of her body disappears. I wonder why I’m crying now. I thought I had no tears left but I guess I was wrong. The tears wouldn’t stop once they have started.

Am I crying for Tigurka, am I crying for that little girl, or am I crying for myself? I don’t even know anymore. So much has been happening that all my emotions have been running out of control.

Before I met Fifi, I’ve been living a “normal” life. I believed that it was fine just to live life day by day without interacting with anyone. I didn’t need to involve myself with others because that will mess up with my everyday life but my life’s been messed up from the beginning.

Nothing’s ever been normal. My parents being struck by lightning, being struck by lightning and bullied for it, the prison monster, Fifi, Tod’s death, and even this god damn zombie apocalypse. Nothing’s ever been normal!

“Hahaha, Tigurka’s correct! My life is to short to worry about every single little thing that has happened to me. My life has never been normal!”

My mind felt liberated. It feels like hundreds of chains that were holding me back were being broken.

“If Death is a selfish bastard who steals the lives of others, then I’ll become someone even more selfish than Death. I’ll become the most selfish Hero to ever exist in this universe! I’ll take what I want and destroy what I don’t! WAHAHAHAHA!!!”

“GAGAGAGYAAAHH!!”

“You shut up right now! How dare you interrupt me. Blowback Bullet!”

By not chanting the chant for Blowback Bullet, it becomes weaker but it's enough to handle weak zombies like that. The zombie has its head immediately blown off from my attack.

It seems like the zombies were starting to become active due to my laughter. I still don’t know how these things work but they only become active when they hear a loud sound or are jotted awake by physical contact.

Since the zombies here are starting to wake up then my goal is to run away. My priority is to find Fifi, Lisa, and Mako. I don’t care about anyone else at the moment so I won’t help anyone else besides them.

……

It didn’t take long for me to see the library. Along the way, I’ve killed a few zombies but not with Blowback Bullet. My current ammunition is only 29 bullets so if I use anymore then I’ll be wasting them. It’s better to save them and use them during an emergency. The zombies I’ve been killing have all been killed by my trusty Earth Spear Mk.1. It’s just a spear that’s been made from hardening earth magic.

As I approach the entrance to the basement, I slow my pace. I could see that there were a few zombies blocking the entrance to the ramp down. I take out a few bullets and begin picking them off one by one.

Luckily these zombies were in my path so I was able to retrieve the bullets. They’re a little bit deformed but it’s nothing I can’t fix. I just have to harden more earth magic on top of the bullets.

Looking down the ramp, I was shocked. The entrance into the basement was wide open and a foul odor was blowing out. This was the smell of blood but it was the most intense amount I’ve ever smelt.

I hurry down while being wary of the surroundings. If the barricades were broken through then that can only mean that a zombie who can use magic was the culprit. Regular zombies aren’t smart enough to break through but if it was a zombie like that earth magic zombie then it’s very possible they attacked the base.

Looking around, the entire basement was a mess. All the shelves, boxes, and books were scattered everywhere. There were bodies all over the ground that weren’t zombies. Every one of their heads was bashed in. There must have been a struggle within the base.

The only good thing is that I don’t see the bodies of Fifi, Lisa, or Mako around or the men in black. Either they were able to escape or they were walking around as zombies but that isn’t possible. As long as Fifi and Mako were with them then their magic would have been enough against the zombies.

I slowly make my way towards Lisa and my room. They could be in there or have at least left a clue for me there. The situation was quite favorable for me because there weren’t many zombies around. The only eerie part about the entire situation was a constant sound of something meaty being slap.

I quickly found my answer when I got closer to my room. There were two men of the Shield squad attacking the other zombies. These two were already zombies but they were still defending the room. I’m grateful for their hard work. They must have been defending Lisa and them in their final moments. I don’t remember their names but I’ll put them to rest.

I was ready to sneak in and stab their heads but they don’t even pay attention to me. More like they decided to ignore me. I’m sure they saw me but after seeing that it was me, they continued to push the other zombies back.

“I don’t know if you guys recognized me but thank you.”

The area to my room was clear and I entered. The room was slightly messy but there didn’t seem to be any signs of fighting here. Those two outside must have properly done their job of protecting this place.

I rummage through the scattered papers, books, boxes, and shelves, but I don’t find anything. All I could find were some canned food that wasn’t taken but no sign of any messages left for me. There has to be something, I’m sure Fifi would have left a clue for me.

“Tonker Bell The Greatest Fairy in Existence: Fifila Phhilora.”

I found a clue and couldn’t help chuckle at it. It was definitely Fifi who altered the title of the book. Flipping through the pages it seems like Fifi actually did more than just change the title. Every single image of Tonker Bell was crossed out and was replaced with a childishly drawn picture of Fifi. It was actually adorable at how much effort Fifi actually put into drawing herself.

On the last page of the book, there was a different drawing. It was a map. It wasn’t very detailed but it was good enough to tell me where they are heading. They were heading for some building in the north which is closer to the outskirts of Ostempal.

I know where to go know so all I need is to prepare. I take a leftover backpack and fill it with the canned food. The last thing I put in the backpack was the book. I’m ready to head on out now.

I exit the room and the two Shield squad members were still bashing at the other zombies. I promised them so I free them of their misery. I grip onto my spear and jam it into one of them before taking it out and doing the same to the other.

“Thank you for protecting them. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me. Rest in peace.”