The Strongest in the World Doesn’t Want To Do Anything

61 – Dominic’s Letter

“Dominic!”

“..Cough… I’ve reached my limit, Commander. Please…take care of my belongings… They will be useful. And…if there is… something… my… daughter can recognize…”

“Damn it, finish your sentence, Dominic!”

Dominic faced his death without being able to conclude his words.

Following his last request, Wolfgang collected all the items Dominic had on him and placed them in his own pockets.

While engulfed in a gloomy atmosphere, the Special Forces returned to Tesa, plagued with the somber realization that they narrowly escaped the trap thanks to Dominic’s sacrifice and the disappointment of the death of their commanding officer and the failure of their pursuit of the demon.

Taking responsibility for the failed mission, Casey and Tendrial, who had volunteered for reconnaissance, were investigated. However, thanks to Wolfgang stepping forward to take the punishment on behalf of them, they were able to smoothly overcome the situation without any major issues.

In truth, the investigation was nothing more than a formality, as it was impossible to ascertain blame in the devilish schemes that anyone could fall victim to. Thus, it was just a perfunctory inquiry.

After the aftermath of the failed mission was somewhat resolved, a brief funeral for Dominic took place. Regardless of how heroic a figure he was, a grand funeral was deemed extravagant amidst the ongoing wartime circumstances.

Once Dominic’s mourning concluded, Wolfgang took a momentary rest, examining the items left by him during the brief respite gained from his comrade’s death.

Among Dominic’s mementos were a jar containing eyeballs given as a gift, a silver bracelet adorned with skull decorations that had adorned his wrist, a few coins, and a stiff paper with nothing written on it, or rather, material that Wolfgang couldn’t identify exactly. There was also a transparent liquid in a glass bottle that aided in using enchantments.

“What… does he want me to take care of?”

Wolfgang placed the items, excluding the bracelet, in his pocket as he pondered Dominic’s request.

Then, holding the bracelet in his hand, he silently recited a short prayer for Dominic.

***

As Uriah’s hand touched Wolfgang’s wrist, a dazzling light emanated from the embrace, accompanied by a crackling sound like someone writing on paper.

“What on earth is this?”

“I-I just… touched his wrist…”

“What did you do?”

For a moment, Wolfgang thought he had used some kind of magical technique. However, the accumulated experiences of facing magic thousands of times suggested that this wasn’t an aggressive spell.

Continuing to search for the object from which the light emanated, Wolfgang put his hand into his embrace, pulling out items as they came into contact.

Among them, the stiff paper from Dominic’s mementos was emitting the light.

The marks scorched by fire had disappeared completely, and with the continuing crackling sound, something was being drawn on the previously blank paper.

Everyone present was stunned, watching the spectacle. After a while, the light gradually dimmed, revealing a drawing on the pristine paper. It depicted a man and a young girl, affectionately portrayed.

Wolfgang instantly recognized the figures in the drawing.

It was Dominic and his daughter.

Only now did Wolfgang recall his old comrade’s request. An irresponsible plea, not even providing the name or appearance of his daughter, entrusted to him with the words, “Take care of my daughter if anything happens.”

Was it the shock of betrayal by his comrades that had kept Wolfgang oblivious to this request, even during the relatively peaceful ten years that followed the end of the war?

“…Dominic.”

Wolfgang felt an indescribable sense of guilt as he gazed intently at the drawing. He touched it, examined the other side with no writing, and then looked at Uriah.

“S-So, the paper suddenly emitted light… What on earth is this thing? Could it be a sacred relic?”

Uriah bombarded him with questions, her eyes wide open.

Ignoring all of them, Wolfgang continued to scrutinize the paper. Finally, he handed it over to Uriah.

“He’s your father, Uriah.”

“What?”

With the paper held tightly in both hands, Yulia’s brain froze at Wolfgang’s abrupt words. To hear such a thing about a father she couldn’t even remember, especially from a war hero she had just met today.

“This person is my father…?”

Yulia stared intently at the man in the painting. Familiar yet entirely unfamiliar.

“He said he has a daughter, very pretty and lovable.”

Wolfgang recalled old memories.

“Even in the midst of everything dying around him, he asked me to take care of his daughter… without telling me where she is or what she looks like, saying I’d find out when the time comes.”

Wolfgang pulled the paper slowly from Yulia’s hands, accompanied by a deep sigh. Holding it up, he spoke to Yulia.

“That’s what this paper was about. It’s designed to work like this when you meet someone like you.”

“So, did the magic on the paper trigger when I touched it just now?”

“I can’t say if it’s magic or what, but something definitely happened.”

Wolfgang handed the paper back to Yulia.

“Just in case. There might be a message only you can read. If it’s the Dominic I know, he would have done something like that.”

Yulia nodded at his words and examined the paper closely. As Wolfgang said, where there was nothing written before, letters were slowly revealing themselves.

[To my beloved daughter, Yulia]

I don’t know if this letter will reach you, but as I’ve thrown myself into a war zone with no clear end, I’ve become a body that doesn’t know when it will die, so I wanted to leave a message for you like this.

First, since you probably have no memories, let’s start with stories about our family.

Your mother was more beautiful than anything in the world. She was like the only flower blooming at the edge of the desolate Latvi.

And your dad was a doctor. He graduated from the famous university of the Empire and was quite skilled. Impressive, right?

Anyway, I met your mother in her hometown.

Latvi was too impoverished, not a place where proper medical care was available.

I used to provide medical services in such impoverished areas, including Latvi.

On the first day of my visit to Latvi, I treated a lovely lady named Rachel who had caught a severe cold, and that day became the most special day of my life.

Your mother and I quickly became close. It was only natural for a young and attractive man and woman to meet every day in the empty desert, under the pretext of treatment.

We confirmed each other’s hearts and loved passionately. In the process, we received the precious gift of you.

I thought we would have many happy days as a family, but tragedy struck at an unexpected moment.

A strange illness, one I had never seen before, began to torment your mother.

I tried everything in my medical knowledge and skills to make her better.

I even tried all sorts of alternative therapies that were considered quackery when conventional medicine showed no progress.

But despite all these efforts, she rapidly withered away.

As time passed, one day, I came back with herbs said to only grow on a cliff, and her face, which used to light up with a smile until the morning, was cold and lifeless.

Beside me, you, who doesn’t know a word of English, are crying out loud, and I couldn’t accept that reality.

So, I reached out to one of the forbidden magics, necromancy.

I could do anything if it meant saving your mother.

After years of research, I mastered the most basic form of necromancy, the art of bringing the dead back to life.

Immediately, I attempted necromancy on Rachel.

And everything fell apart.

Rachel, resurrected through a clumsy necromancy, was no longer recognizable as a human.

Her reason was erased, her flesh rotted away, and her beauty from her lifetime was nowhere to be found.

This incompetent and wretched father unknowingly exposed you, just a newborn, to such a horrifying sight.

Only then did I give up everything and bury your mother’s body in the ground.

And I made the worst choice.

I erased your memories and sent you to an orphanage.

It was because I couldn’t stand to see the image of her every time I looked at you, and I hated myself for not sharing a warm affection during the time you needed it most.

As time passed, I regretted that choice and went to the orphanage where I left you, only to find it had already failed and ceased to exist.

Since then, I’ve lived, doing whatever it takes, using any means necessary, to find you.

In the process, I became a wretched and insane necromancer, facing the danger of capture and execution, but thankfully, I managed to survive and continue living thanks to someone named Wolfgang.

I plan to ask him to deliver this letter as well.

The only trace of my daughter that remains with me is a piece of the umbilical cord I cut when you were young.

This letter was created using that last trace.

When your hand touches it, the seal of this letter will be broken.

I wish I could meet you in person and tell you all these things, but as I mentioned earlier, I don’t know when my body will die…

I hope you grow up healthy and well.

With love, from your daring father, Dominic.

Yulia began to cry as she folded the letter, and Wolfgang silently comforted her, patting her shoulder.