The cemetery, Desel's farewell ceremony was in progress.
Eris stood solemnly in the center of the front row, his expression blank, as if his soul had been lost.
He could no longer make out what the priest was saying. The mental shield that had protected him since his brother's death shattered under the weight of this brutal goodbye.
The passing of a life carries weight, a weight so heavy that it suffocated Eris.
But he had to face it.
"...Amen~"
Old comrades stepped forward one by one, paying their final respects to Desel, and then embraced Eris.
Little by little, Eris's spirit found a foothold amid the mechanical gestures, and his numb expression gradually turned solemn.
"You need to pull yourself together, Eris."
Domo was the last to step forward. He was Eris's friend and had little connection with Desel; he came today purely out of goodwill.
"Yes, thank you for coming. It comforts me greatly."
