On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

[Layland Kleinhaus’ POV]

Today marks the three months I have been successfully ruling Antares. I don’t think it is worth celebrating but I still went home and met my late senior, Kruff in the Resting Crown Graveyard where outstanding Warriors rested in eternity.

Standing before the headstone as I look down at it, I recall what happened. The endless “skirmishes” we had with the Paladins, Antares’ ceaselessly growing economy, and the citizens’ rapidly growing favor toward Cursed Creations—it is crazy to think that everything happened in three months.

Kruff’s death was incredibly upsetting and it was three months ago. Seeing how things are now, I have become even more aware of the fact that the world spins even after I die. I said that I don’t mind dying after having my revenge once and I want to take it back. I want to live as long as I want. I want to spend as much time as I can with those whom I am dear.

“How is the afterlife? Sorry, it was a stupid question. How does it feel to be able to spectate everything but can’t do anything to affect what you see? Hmm…you know what? I don’t know where and how you are now that I think about it. Forget my question. In case you can hear and see me, know that I am here to have a drink with you.”

Sitting down after my greeting, I take out one of the finest liquor I bought with the money Antares made. You can’t call me a thief because what Antares makes is what I make—I am its owner and the person responsible for its commendable economic growth.

Popping the bottle open, I pour it into my glass until half of it is full and put the rest beside the headstone. Lightly hitting the tombstone with the body of my glass, I say, “Cheers!” before gulping the whole liquor down.

“An empty grave is not a grave, but a monument. That’s why I didn’t want this grave to be empty. A monument is a reminder. It reminds us of a major event that happened. You are my friend and I don’t want to consider your death as something crucial to the world’s change. I want to remember you as my friend. It is that simple.”

Putting my glass down and picking up the bottle beside the headstone, I pour the liquor on it. “What a coincidence at that time! I had a fistful of your ash. It is minuscule but it’s enough to not make your grave empty.”

Imagining something funny, I smirk. “If you somehow ended up looking like how you died in the afterlife, I am sorry for giving you this liquor. However, know it, my friend, you might reshape your body now that it has the consistency of clay.”

Having lived in this world for more than half a year has certainly changed my views on things; I can’t tell if I made a proper joke or a dark joke or not even a joke just now. I find it funny regardless—that is what matters—so I discard the thought right away.

𝑶𝑽𝐥xt.𝓒𝗈𝓂

Standing up, I put my Mana into the bottle and break it down to powder. I summon wind with Magic and let it carry the powder away with it. Putting my hand on the headstone, I stare at it silently for a few seconds. When I feel like I am being stupid, I open my mouth and say my farewell.

“It was short, but I have to end our reunion here, Kruff. I don’t have much to do but I prefer spending my time with my woman than spending it with a handful of ash buried in a grave.” Patting the headstone twice, I conclude, “See you next time…my late friend.”

Retracting my hand, I turn around and walk toward the exit. Looking up at the sky, I frown lightly. I used to prefer the grey sky but I have grown slight dissatisfaction with it now. The mood it is giving off is gloomy. It feels like the sky is dictating for us to mourn every day. What for? Our fate as Cursed Creations? The fact that we are hunted by everyone? Nonsense.

I don’t know if it is caused by a Magic phenomenon but I am going to change it in the future when my mastery of Magic is profound enough. If it turns out that this world’s God has something to do with it, he should be ready to be taken down.

“I see that you seem to be fond of sky-gazing nowadays.”

At the familiar sound, I look down at the woman standing on my left. “Have you been here long, Valeria?”

“Oi, don’t pretend that you can’t see me!” a growl can be heard from my right, prompting me to turn my head in said direction.

“Oh, hi, Millonia.”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me,” Millonia says, mouth twitching in annoyance.

She is complicated these days. She will act very sweet to me one day and then become very cold to me the next day. She will speak softly to me one moment and then suddenly become rough the next moment. The change is so bizarre; so, instead of a mood swing, I think it is a mental disorder. That is one of the reasons why I brought her with me here.

I have something powerful to control her, though, so I don’t have to be afraid to be eaten alive by her someday. That controlling measure is head-ruffling. Weird as it may be, she calms down whenever I do that. Just like now, she looks extremely serene as my hand softly ruffles her blue hair.

Turning to Valeria, who is looking at the scene in wonderment and slight jealousy, I ruffle her hair too. She scrunches up her nose and then shakes her head faintly, implying that head ruffle is simply not for her.

I retract my hand and immediately address the issue. “How is the Seal? Does it have something to do with Millonia’s unstable emotion?”

“Hm…It is hard to say. In my opinion, she controls herself well with that much malice in her,” Valeria answers, showing me her rare side of being unsure. “What I can tell you is that the Seal has loosened up greatly. She is only halfway to breaking it.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“From how things are going, yes, it is…” Glancing at Millonia, Valeria shows a hint of doubt in her eyes. “As long as she can put herself together, I think she won’t become what she was ten years ago. I don’t think Lord Ilschevar will be able to stop her as he did once she lost control of her power.”

“That won’t happen,” Millonia rebutted as she took my hand off her head but not letting it go. “I am better this time. I won’t hinder you and Lord Ilschevar as I did back then.”

The sheer conviction in her eyes is enough to make me believe that is what is going to happen but Valeria is unfazed. The hint of doubt is still present in her eyes, making me wonder if her belief in Millonia has dwindled greatly after seeing her current state.

“That is great,” Valeria says with a nod after some time. “I have to admit that I don’t believe in you as much as I did but I am glad to hear that you believe in yourself. Prove me wrong, Millonia.”

“I will,” Millonia answers solemnly.

Since I don’t want any seriousness to decorate my off-day, I clap my hands once to earn the girls’ attention. They turn to me with a quirked eyebrow, looking at me as if I am a retarded in a math conference.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Let us have some food, shall we? I am slightly famished.”

“That is a good idea,” Valeria nods her head, “but you also have to invite some people to join us.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “As far as I am concerned, Jovenus is leading a war against the Centaurs right now. Velucan is in Antares training the humans. Lemius is taking our rising stars—Lunea, Winerva, Abigail, and Gabriela—to Creatain to have some fight with the Heroes of Cresundia. I don’t think I still have someone who wants to have a meal with me here.”

Valeria and Millonia look at me as if I am joking. I am dead serious and that makes them blink their eyes. I can see a hint of helplessness and sympathy in their eyes and I don’t know why. Regardless, I am glad that the latter is not directed at me.

“Well, you know—”

“Layland!”

Millonia is cut by a shrill-but-is-still-pleasant-to-hear voice of an excited woman. It makes us turn our heads in the direction where the voice came from. There, we can see a tall female Dark Elf looking at me in excitement. She seems to know me and I have to rack my brain to figure out the identity of the beautiful Dark Elf.

Swish!

I stop racking my brain and decided to ask when she runs at me. I know what she is going to do next, so I just open my arms. She jumps on me and then hugs my neck. Ignoring the fact that she is smothering me with her chest, I return her hug.

“Do you like my chest!?”

Since this Dark Elf has shown her weird side, I lift her into the air, stopping her from smothering me with her bountiful assets.

“First of all, thank you. Second of all, what the fuck?”

“So, you do like my chest!”

“That’s beyond the point, lady. Who are you?”

I can hear Millonia and Valeria sigh as the female Dark Elf pouts in disappointment. I got slightly uncomfortable since I can tell she is genuinely hurt by my question.

“Oh, wait…” A memory about an Elven lass flashes randomly in my mind. “Oh, shoot, you are Arieda! Damn, you have matured!”

“Yes, yes! I am Arieda!” The Dark Elf smiles in excitement as I playfully throw her into the air like a child. “Let’s get married, Layland!”

Her remark makes me stop throwing her into the air and put her down. Putting my hand on her shoulder, I give her my ‘what the fuck’ look.