Themis, The Flower of Justice
Chapter 9 — Difficult decision (completed)

Blood splattered along the passageway, the sound of blood droplets falling to the floor rang out due to the passage being so empty and desolate. Nielson felt that time had passed for quite a while, his gaze becoming blurry. He could not count how much time had passed because there was too much blood loss that made his brain not work properly due to lack of oxygen.

Nielson shook his head, he felt very sleepy and wanted to close his eyes to rest. But he knew that if he closed his eyes he was done. Nielson strengthened his resolve and kept his eyes focused. He again walked down the secret passageway leading to the harbor.

Shortly afterwards, a familiar woman screamed for Nielson. He then rushed and tried to run despite his critical body condition, he seemed to have no importance to the condition of his body anymore.

‘Alice!’

Nielson's intuition was right, from a turn in the hallway, Alice looked panicked and confused. Realizing Nielson from a distance Alice looked relieved, I was about to run up to her.

“Alice!”

“Mr Nielson!”

Alice approached and hugged Nielson. She looked ragged, a messy appearance, and her breath was stung like she was being chased by something, Alice looked like she had experienced something as heavy as herself.

“Already, calm yourself. I'm here,”

Nielson stroked Alice's head to calm her down. Alice then let go of his embrace and observed Nielson. He was very surprised and immediately stopped his crying when he saw the condition of Nielson who had been on the verge of death.

“T-mister Nielson?! What happened to you?!”

“Then, it's okay. Doesn't it matter that I'm still alive and here?”

Nielson tried to smile as if nothing had happened to him to calm Alice down despite her poor condition. He held Alice back into his arms and stroked her head. Alice was crying loudly. He felt sad and could not hold back his tears when he saw Nielson who was still trying to keep Alice's importance even when he was on the verge of death.

“HUAAA, MR NIELSON! THANK YOU! A-I, I'M I'M—“

Alice hugged Nielson tighter as she sobbed, her words cut off, she seemed unable to finish her words. Seeing Alice like this made Nielson emotional, but—

*STABS

Blood flowed from her hands, Alice stabbing Nielson in the stomach.

“I WANT YOUR LIFE,”

Alice's sad expression instantly turned into a vile grin. Nielson pushed Alice hard to distance himself from him. Nielson stared and held the hole in his body.

“KHHH,”

Nielson groaned, blood flowing increasingly profusely from Nielson's body. His gaze grew increasingly blurry, his body becoming shrewd. Nielson was stabbed because he had lost his guard due to too much blood being lost from his body.

Alice played the knife that had stabbed Nielson and licked his blood. Alice then took something from behind her shirt tied around her neck. He pulled out a pendant necklace that looked familiar to Nielson and immediately destroyed it.

‘That necklace!—‘

Alice's figure instantly turned into a blurred blue shadow that looked like a hologram. From behind the hologram is the image of a tall woman with a slender body, and long, tied hair.

“You, You! You are an Epsilon!”

Nielson was bluffing his teeth firmly while letting out a piercing look.

“Ping pong, your answer is correct! I am an Epsilon-037 who loves to kill~, whether it be animals or humans, I love everything! Know it? Among other Epsilon my personality is the best,”

A playful tone was heard from his remark that responded to Nielson's statement.

Nielson was speechless about what was happening in front of him. He was surprised not because he was stabbed, but because of why the woman was wearing a necklace known only to him and his partner, Zeta.

‘Wait, what really happened? Why was that appearance-altering tool able to be in his hands? Has the organization sniffed our steps and seized it? Or don't-don't..’.

As Nielson was digesting what was happening, the person who had appeared from behind the woman made Nielson startled. An adult man with a familiar face, appeared behind the woman. He is Nielson's trusted partner, Zeta-003 who knows and helps plan this time. This time he was not disguised as someone else, but rather he became himself.

Nielson tells his plan and asks for his help as he feels that he is a partner he can trust. But what happened in front of him answered everything. Nielson wanted to refute and not believe it, but it happened right before his eyes.

“Zeta-003, why... Why are you here with this crazy woman?!”

Nielson yelled at Zeta-003 who was hiding behind the woman.

“Wah, calling a woman crazy is a bad act, Mr. Delta,”

This woman called Epsilon interrupts

“But, since the one who did it was a handsome man like you, I think I will forgive him. Especially if that handsome guy is dying, I feel like I can't help myself anymore~ “

The woman continued while poking at the blood on Nielson's lips and licked it and looked at him with a seductive expression.

Seeing this, Nielson's body immediately goosebumps, he immediately turned his gaze towards Zeta-003 as before and chose to ignore what the woman was doing.

Hearing a question from Nielson, Zeta-003 fell silent for a moment. He turned his face to the side avoiding the gaze from Nielson.

“My answer is Zeta!! Aren't we partners?! If you did betray me at least answer my question!!”

Nielson nodded with a very loud voice. Due to the critical condition, Nielson coughed immediately, and blood came out of his cough. Seeing Nielson's bad condition, Zeta looked at herself with a look of pity.

“What a pity, I warned you that day, didn't I? If you do even I can't help you. It's sad to sacrifice a life for someone who's already dead,”

Zeta's pitying gaze turned instantly into a condescending gaze.

“!!!!”

“I'm sorry Delta, but I don't want to get involved with the mess you made. I still love my life,”

Nielson was wide-eyed by the statement coming out of Zeta's mouth.

“You... What did you do to Alice? What happened to him?”

His voice trembled, he was too shocked to hear it that he was no longer able to raise his voice.

“Alice? Ah you mean this girl?”

Zeta-003 took out a round item wrapped in cloth and tied tightly from her bag. He throws it at Nielson and Nielson accepts. However, when Nielson opened his pack—

“!!!!!”

What Nielson saw left him at a loss for words. His hands shook violently, his eyes widened like they wanted to come out. The intense tremors that occurred in his hands caused him to lose power in the hands so that the grip on the goods given Zeta weakened and the goods fell rolling to the floor. When the item fell to the floor, it was revealed a young girl's head was rolling on the floor away from Nielson.

“ARGHHHHHH! AHHHHHH! HARGHHHHHH! AHHHHHH”

Nielson yelled out in disarray when he saw the parcel containing Alice's head, he became out of control. Seeing the person he was trying to save ended horribly, Nielson could not accept it.

‘MY FAULT, MY FAULT MY FAULT, MY FAULT, THIS IS ALL MY FAULT. HAD I NOT FOLLOWED THE DESIRES OF THIS FOOLISH IDEOLOGY THEN HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENDED UP COMPLACENT LIKE THIS’

He roared and tears flowed from his eyes. Nielson blames himself when he sees Alice's condition ending up like this. He assumed if he was at least punished by the organization then he would not suffer a terrible death.

Zeta is shocked to see Nielson's current condition. He had not expected to see Nielson who was usually so calm and good at handling his emotions, becoming explosive like this. Seeing Nielson's miserable condition, Zeta became lost in thought.

‘Well, it's only natural that you feel screwed if the person you're trying to save ends up horribly. But from the beginning, the fate of the girl has been ascertained, if you get involved with the organization, it will not end well. So this is not entirely his fault.’.

“Ah, forgive me. I told him to keep his body intact, but he instead decapitated his head and cut off his limbs,”

Zeta said that in a relaxed tone while rubbing the back of her head.

“Eh?? Now you blame me?! Didn't your command just not hurt her face in order to be identified?!”

“Is that? Then it's all entirely my fault, I'm sorry,”

“Humph”

They joke and talk lightly. Hearing those who talked about Alice's condition as if it was a light thing made Nielson growled. He gritted his teeth and clenched his remaining hands while looking at the two of them sharply.

“ARGHHHHH”

Nielson shouted and directly advanced towards the enemy. Nielson's already dying body and unstable emotions made his attacks seem like children who wanted to fight in their eyes. Nielson's attacks lacked the threatening strength or speed, not even the complicated attack patterns he had before. This was purely an attack from his emotions. His overflowing emotions made him able to stand up despite being on the verge of death.

Looking at the attack that looked like trash in her eyes, the Epsilon woman grabbed her arm, then cut it with a knife until it was cut off. Nielson shouted and groaned desperately in this kind of condition. It was only the first time he had felt such a helpless emotion.

Despite having cut off Nielson's remaining arm, the woman was not satisfied and slashed down on Nielson's entire body but did not cut him off. Nielson's body was torn apart, blood was rushing through his body, but miraculously he was still able to stand up and had not lost his consciousness.

Nielson fell to his knees and muttered some names of people in despair. Seeing Nielson still alive, the woman became furious and wanted to attack him again. He felt that Nielson's life force was as high as that of a cockroach, even though he had been on the verge of death since then, he remained alive, and was able to withstand all his attacks. Zeta restrains his arm as the woman attacks Nielson and tells him to stop.

“Already, just let him. In that condition you think he could survive? Let her enjoy her last moments of life quietly and take care of her corpse. Shouldn't we at least give him some kindness at the end of his life as a partner?”

“Alright, you're right. At least we let him enjoy his last moment,”

Zeta and the woman, called Epsilon, leave Nielson to enjoy his final moments.

The downcast Nielson helplessly stared at Alice's head lying on the ground. He tried to grab it, but he had no arms. He tried to get close to her but her legs were no longer working. All he could do was mutter and stare at Alice's head which had an expression like a deep sleep.

“G-Gretta. I'm sorry, because I can't see you anymore. Maybe you don't know what's going on with me, but please don't try to figure it out because it's going to harm you. You may soon forget me but I won't,”

Nielson muttered Gretta's name, looking like he wanted to deliver the final message, but no one was there.

“A-Alice, forgive me for failing to protect you. I'm sorry I made you end up like this. From your expression I know that you are still waiting for me even in your last moment, sorry I could not keep my promise,”

Muttering Alice's name, Nielson's tears flowed. Just this time he was struck by this kind of emotion in his life. From the beginning of the trial to the end of his life, Nielson experienced both new and long-lost emotions. Despite ending horribly, Nielson lay staring at the ceiling of the building and smiled.

‘So this sense of betrayal. It was mixed, it felt disappointed and empty. I can't even express what I felt when my confidant betrayed me..’.

‘So it feels like loss and regret... It hurts so much, I can't even handle it properly, haha. And this guilt.... I don't want to forget..’.

‘I wish I had been given a second chance..’.

‘And given strength to protect and give justice to my loved ones.’.

Nielson's eyes became heavy, he seemed unable to hold back his eyes that would be closed.

‘But it seems like it's impossible.... What a stupid request, haha.’.

Nielson's eyes closed, he died with a smile on his face. Although he felt sick and empty, he also felt relief because at the end of his life, he became human.

.....

.....

‘What is this? Where am I?...

‘Why does everything look dark?..’

Nielson's entire vision was dark, there was not a single object or light present here, there was only darkness as far as the eye could see, but his consciousness remained awake. His body felt light and floating, he could not even feel his senses anymore. It felt like he was just hovering above the clouds and following where the wind was taking him.

‘Against.... I'm dead already.... So this is hell.’.

Seeing everything so dark Nielson concluded that he was in hell, because last he remembered that he was dead, and people seemed unlikely to enter heaven or the reincarnation cycle.

'Humans....'

Nielson felt he heard a voice that did not know where it came from. Nielson ignored the voice, he felt that he was hallucinating, when he heard a voice in a place as quiet as this should be the source of his voice will definitely be seen.

'Humans...'

Nielson heard the voice again. He then began to look for where the sound source came from. He looked to the right and left, but the surroundings were nothing more than an empty darkness.

‘From where did this sound come from—‘

*bump

Suddenly Nielson's heart was beating. Nielson was surprised why his heart suddenly beat because from that moment the atmosphere was very quiet until the heartbeat or breathing even could be heard. But he did not feel breathing or his heart was beating even though because of that he felt strange.

A strange darkness slowly enveloped Nielson's body. He began to feel strange, an unknown coldness coursing through his body. It felt so cold, that Nielson's body thrashed for a few moments when the cold spread throughout his body and then calmed back down.

‘What feeling is this?... It feels very cold, yet gives it tranquility.... ‘

‘It feels very spacious and beautiful, like the night sky...’.

‘This indescribable feeling.... ‘

‘Meet my whole body...’.

*patsss

A bright light enveloped Nielson's entire body. Removing the darkness that had covered his body as well. The light felt so warm that it eliminated all the cold that had run its way. It feels very comfortable and familiar. Feels like...

‘Kejil’

‘Yes, this familiar feel... Not wrong again, this is a sense of justice.’

Nielson, who was drowning in his feelings, suddenly heard a voice from inside his head. His voice sounded light, but it also looked mature. Nielson thought it was a woman's voice.

'Humans.... You are the one who seeks to uphold justice until the end of your life... Yet you have suffered the most bitter injustice when you fought for your justice for the first time...'

Nielson was stunned to hear a voice coming from his head. He was surprised that the brief statement coming out of him was a summary of Nielson's entire life.

'Man, I'll give you a second chance... It's up to you to use what your second chance looks like.... Everything is in your hands... I don't know what fate you're gonna carve... It's all up to you.... I hope you find the justice you seek.'

*PATSSS

A bright light that blinded the eyes suddenly shone brightly from all this nothingness. The light shone brightly from all corners so Nielson was unable to see what happened next.

.....

“OEEKK OEEKK”

The sound of a crying baby filled the room. Nielson slowly opened his eyes, he was surprised to see his surroundings. A room with a luxurious interior of a medieval classic style is visible. The silver-haired beautiful woman appeared in front of his gaze when he opened his eyes for the first time. Beside him was a blond man with a thin beard adorning his face.

‘Who are they? Where am I? His face looked very foreign to me... They are not part of any race in the world.... They are very beautiful like the people depicted in the fairyland,'

“Honey, so we name this beautiful child?”

The silver-haired woman who was right in front of Nielson's eyes asked the blond man who appeared to be the woman's husband.

“Hmmmm what about Jackson? Or maybe Pedro? Or Ethan?

The blond man answered his wife's question with a stupid face

“Honey! Please be a little serious, she's a girl,”

“Eh? Can women not bear that name?”

“Of course not! You are the king of Medea, Elios! Stop giving your child their name!”

The silver-haired woman yelled at her husband Elios for giving their son stupid names.

‘Kids? What boy? Is their child the sound of a baby crying? Eh? Why does my body feel weird? Why can't I move my body properly?’

Nielson felt strange and helpless, he seemed to only be able to move his body to roll his back. When she turned her body towards him the sight of the woman's breasts looked very close. Nielson reflexively turned his body around quickly and dodged the sight.

“Look, our son is also reluctant to be given stupid names by his father!”

“Ehh?? You're so mean to Selena. I'm just trying to give our son a good name. See it? He didn't dislike my name but he just liked to move, hahaha!

The blonde man laughed cheerfully.

“Uhh, you fool,”

In response to her husband's foolish behavior, the silver-haired woman called Selena shook her head.

‘They? Eh? I was crying earlier? Perhaps their child is....

Nielson turned his back to look for a mirror. Before long, he saw a fancy mirror near the table across the room that looked like a dresser.

‘What is the baby... Me?’

“Alright, I hereby decided the name of this child is..”

The woman seemed to have made up her mind.

‘Have I been reincarnated? Then where is this? Is this in a different world’

“Luminas, Luminas By Medeia! I took it from the name of the capital of this kingdom and also that means shine! I want him in the future to be the one to shine a light on this kingdom!”

‘I reincarnated into another world into a woman?!’