I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 132

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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132

Chapter 26. Without Only Me (4)

Describe in one word the feelings of someone attending their own funeral.

‘A bed of thorns…’

Even sitting on thousands of needles wouldn’t be more uncomfortable than this. I fidgeted with my hands that I had clasped together for no reason.

The funeral hall was very quiet.

With a bit of exaggeration, it seemed like even if someone’s breathing became slightly rough, it would sound like thunder. People who had entered crying and wailing also held their breath, reading the atmosphere.

Around the coffin were my parents, Bailey, Evelyn, the twins, and Raven too.

‘I thought he wouldn’t come because he was busy.’

Thanks to their terrifying silence, no one could open their mouth. I was behind them so I couldn’t see their faces, but even from their backs, I could feel the heavy atmosphere.

Because they think I’m dead.

I wanted to immediately remove my veil and appear before them, but I held back.

If I just get through today well, I can meet them without losing two years of my life.

I had to endure for now.

The group of beastfolk including Renate didn’t seem to have arrived yet. Ah, but I saw a few beastfolk I had treated in the village. The person who walked with me while crying was also Lili’s friend. Jake’s friends.

Looking at the atmosphere, it seemed they planned to receive visits from my parents’ acquaintances that I didn’t know starting tomorrow. But still.

‘Why is there even a coffin…?’

That bastard Seth, surely not.

Only a week had passed, but it already felt awkward that my parents had prepared my funeral so quickly.

Although it was empty words… I had said it meaning to think lightly of it even if I died, but didn’t I say to “consider it like I ran away from home”?

Since my body is here, they couldn’t have found a corpse either, and I thought my parents wouldn’t believe in my death without seeing it with their own eyes. For at least a few years.

I quietly went toward the coffin.

‘Wow, shit, crazy…’

The coffin had a window showing only the lower half of the face, but just from the pale white skin and bloodless lips, you could tell it was me. Seth, you dog-like bastard, no matter what, you even prepared a corpse?

Even if you’re driving nails into my parents’ hearts, there should be limits!

‘Ah, I drove the biggest nail. It’s my fault.’

It’s all my fault.

Until just now I was trying to shift responsibility to Seth, but thinking of my parents, who would be visible if I just turned my head slightly, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I kept my head down and stared intently at the coffin. I couldn’t look at anyone’s face.

‘How can I face…’

I wanted to lie down in this coffin right now. And then shamelessly get up and pretend to be a miraculous resurrection…

Even if I manage to get through today well, with what face should I appear before my parents? Movie protagonists return alive just fine, but when it became my own situation, I had no idea what to do.

Cold sweat poured down.

“I don’t believe it. That’s impossible.”

It was a resonant voice.

“Ella, don’t lie. Why would Lady Shana die?”

“Be quiet, Maria.”

“It’s because you’re saying something that doesn’t make sense!”

“…If you have eyes, look.”

“So everyone is mistaken about something…”

“…”

“I, I haven’t even seen Lady Shana’s grown-up face yet.”

“…That’s why I brought you here, to go over there and pay your respects.”

“So! Everyone is trying to tease me for coming back after a long time…”

“…Do you think they’d go this far just to tease you alone?”

“…”

Ella’s voice, which had been consistently calm as if suppressing something, finally turned cold. At the voice that even seemed to carry a hint of sarcasm, Maria looked back and forth between Ella and the interior with confused eyes.

‘She’s safe. Thank goodness.’

I had been curious since I hadn’t seen her face after leaving her with Seth, but fortunately Maria looked healthy.

“What, what did I endure for…”

“…Be quiet and go pay your respects.”

“…Ella, you.”

Maria grabbed her sleeve, but Ella shook her off.

“I can’t look.”

Ella ultimately couldn’t enter the hall and turned around. I hurriedly watched Ella’s retreating figure and vowed to kneel and apologize later.

Sorry, Ella. I’m really sorry. I’m alive…

Maria slowly approached. Then my parents, who had been keeping their heads down the whole time, raised their heads. I couldn’t even avoid their eyes and saw both of their faces.

I couldn’t breathe.

I had never seen such haggard faces before. Only a week had passed, yet their cheeks were sunken and their eyes were hollow. Both of them. Their eyes were red and swollen.

Evelyn was the same. However, she just sat there weakly even at Maria’s voice, and the black eyes I had loved were dull without any spark.

And Raven too.

Raven was just staring ahead as if he couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t see anything.

“Come here, Maria.”

“…Lady Anais…”

“You, for our Shana…”

As soon as Mother spoke my name, she burst into tears. And Father continued in Mother’s place.

“You’ve been through something difficult. I’m sorry, but can we save the thanks for later.”

“Your Grace…”

“First, please say your goodbyes.”

Maria’s eyes shook violently. Somehow I, who had been standing like a fixture in front of the coffin, ended up seeing the faces I most wanted to avoid from the closest distance. When I stepped aside slightly, Maria slowly approached the coffin.

Only then did the twins raise their heads.

It became increasingly harder for me to bear. The twins, the twins too had faces I had never seen before, just like the others. Pessimistic and despairing, dark faces.

“Sha, Lady Shana.”

Maria staggered toward the coffin and confirmed the fake corpse. Then she collapsed and gasped heavily.

“This is, this is impossible, something like this is impossible…”

Aaaah… Please let me apologize…!

“What did I, what did I endure for, how… how could so many people gather here yet fail to protect just one Lady Shana?!”

“Maria!”

“It’s true, Lord Bailey! Here, with so many people… Evelyn, what did you do!”

Ah, aaaah. No. Not Evelyn…!

Evelyn was one of those who witnessed the scene where I appeared to be dying. Among them, along with Renate and Lili, she was closest to me. Evelyn showed no reaction to Maria’s accusations.

Ah, aah. What should I do. What should I do. Should I give up the 2 years.

This was truly torture. This was.

“Stop it. Evelyn couldn’t help it either.”

Leon said. Maria’s arrows turned toward him too.

“Leon, you’re the same! You said you’d protect her even if it cost your life!”

“…Where is there anyone in this room who didn’t make the same resolution, Maria.”

Bailey, who had been silent, restrained Maria. Maria still listened to Bailey at least. Ian spoke.

“…If I could, I’d want to die in her place right now.”

“Why, when we were watching with our eyes open.”

“I can’t understand whether Shana can’t move, or what. Something’s wrong with this…”

The twins’ desperate and sorrowful words made my insides feel like they were crumbling. Half of me wanted to immediately say I was alive here, half of me knew that throwing away my lifespan like that again would just be repeating the same actions.

I.

‘I didn’t know it would be like this. Really.’

I had tried to leave lightly.

Actually, I thought that even if I died, there wouldn’t be much change.

I was reborn and received plenty of love, but actually even if I disappeared, there wouldn’t be much change in their lives. I didn’t affect their livelihood, and even if I was gone, I wasn’t in a role where something terrible would happen immediately.

It wasn’t that I doubted the love that had been poured on me more than I deserved. Since they loved me, naturally they’d be sad and have a hard time for a while… but I thought everyone would be able to overcome it soon.

I hoped they’d think of it as if I had gone on a trip to a distant place.

But that wasn’t the case.

In the end, I hadn’t changed at all.

Saying I was happy because I could save my loved ones was selfish behavior that didn’t consider the hearts of those left behind at all, and knowing this, I had done the same thing I did to Mina again.

Perhaps I had never taken seriously the people who loved me this much.

Like people you meet and part with while traveling.

Like a long, long dream of one night.

My second life was like a long dream to me. Since I didn’t know when I’d die, I tried to express love without holding back and pursue only joyful and happy things.

Because people can die anytime. But I’m not afraid of death. Because I know there’s life that continues after death.

But this was the result.

Haggard parents, sorrowful Bailey and Maria, empty Raven and Evelyn as if only shells remained without souls, the twins…

Then Raven approached the coffin. Even though I was standing close by, he didn’t seem to care at all. No, he didn’t seem to see me. That sensitive person.

Raven, who had been stroking the coffin with his fingertips, slowly closed and opened his eyes. And.

‘Ah…’

Raven, don’t cry. Why are you crying? As I dropped my head down with the same expressionless face, tears that seemed impossible began streaming down.

Ah, I’m really going to go crazy.

Ah. Aah. Someone please do something about this…!

“Did I interrupt something?”

Anyone but you, Nathan.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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