Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Red Hydrangea, the Girl's Dream
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-Bang!
The bullet passed futilely through empty air.
"……Did she escape?"
Colton muttered as he pulled the trigger.
"I shouldn't have wasted time blabbering. I should have just shot her dead on the spot."
He should have killed her while she was still dazed and confused, but he'd talked too much and given her time to think. Colton blamed himself for not staying cold-blooded.
"But what can you do? When a long-cherished dream comes true, anyone might get excited and run their mouth a bit. Right, Camilla, you dropout?"
"………."
Camilla scowled in irritation, left alone after Betty fled. Nothing pleased her. Not the betrayal from behind, not being stranded here without escape.
It was boring. All of it.
She hated being unable to take control, forced to react passively to the enemy's moves.
"Sir Colton, the refugees have reached the entrance."
One of his subordinates approached and reported.
"Let them in. Promise them a place to call home from now on. Persuade them as politely as possible to make them set down their weapons of their own accord."
For humanity to unite as one, the refugee issue had to be resolved.
The trash at the top was gone, leaving behind their wealth. Carving out a living space for the refugees in the center wasn't difficult.
Colton fell into thought for a moment.
Yeriel had failed. She hadn't been willing to abandon something or take risks, and in the end, it proved the wrong choice.
But Colton was different. He'd joined hands with demons, forsaken his humanity, and bent his principles when needed.
He had taken risks. Pretending to follow Camilla's plan, he'd armed the rioting refugees and opened the way for them.
It was a gamble with the demons' forces unknown.
The moment he'd betrayed Camilla from behind, if she'd had the power to summon more magic beasts—if he and his men had all died—
The city would have gone beyond chaos straight to ruin.
But the gamble paid off, and the greater the risk, the greater the rewards.
He could purge the rotten leadership and fill the voids with new blood.
The long-standing refugee problem could finally be solved.
He'd gotten a rough read on the demons' situation, and humanity could at last unite.
Humans could now push back against the demons.
'Lady Yeriel, you were wrong. Wrong, but…'
That didn't make her sacrifices and devotion to humanity something to take lightly.
Her noble ideal to eradicate all evil and shelter every human.
Unchanging over centuries, even agonizing over it until the very end—
Even if it ended in the wrong choice, it deserved respect.
Her decision had indeed backed humanity into a corner.
But Colton wouldn't curse her for it, let alone resent her.
No matter what, denying her entire path of sacrifice for humanity would be far too cruel.
Colton respected Yeriel. Respected her, but he wouldn't follow her path.
Trying to protect everything without any risks meant losing it all in the end.
Colton wanted to protect humans. Not just protect them—he desperately wanted humanity's victory.
For that, he was confident he'd forsake his humanity or bend his beliefs without hesitation.
Colton's gun was still aimed at Camilla. She glared at it and asked,
"…So what happens to me now? You gonna kill me?"
"Who knows. Any last words?"
"……Hmm."
Camilla stared blankly into space, pausing. She stroked her cheek in thought, then let out a hollow chuckle and laughed to herself.
Repeating this, she soon met Colton's eyes with a detached gaze, striking a dramatic pose.
"Spare me."
###
"…Something's off."
Han muttered, sensing the strangeness. The armed refugees had finally reached the entrance.
But something was wrong.
The refugees, who should have stormed straight into Sector A to start the riot, weren't entering. The guards, who were supposed to let them through and stand by during the uprising, were instead holding them back and trying to persuade them.
'……What the hell?'
Han felt a chill of unease.
The blaring sirens had quieted, and the movements of the refugees and guards didn't match the plan. A strong sense that something had gone awry washed over him.
As he scanned around to assess the situation, Anise's voice from beside him made him turn back.
"……Huh."
"What's wrong, Anise?"
"……The heroes have been released."
Han shifted his gaze to the entrance.
Sure enough, as Anise said, the subdued heroes were free. The guards who'd aimed guns at them had holstered their weapons, and Han U-sol, pinned under some woman and slammed to the ground, was now standing.
He brushed the dirt off his clothes and talked with the woman. She explained the situation, clearing up the misunderstanding, while he listened quietly.
"This is bad! Camilla—!"
As he watched the scene with narrowed eyes, Betty suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Where was Camilla, who should have been with her? Why had Betty come alone?
Han was certain. The plan had gone off the rails.
"Betty, what happened?"
Betty hurriedly explained to Han, who demanded answers. Colton had betrayed them, forcing her to flee without Camilla.
Han nodded. A simple, clear response.
She didn't go into why the betrayal happened, whether it was premeditated or spontaneous.
Han had no interest in the details. The fact of the betrayal was enough.
Han's red eyes quietly darkened.
Betrayal demanded retribution.
"Betty, teleport me and Anise there right—"
"No!"
Betty cut him off with a shout.
"Why not?"
"There were tons of guards! All armed with weapons Han U-sol made! We can't go! It's too dangerous!"
"How many?"
"Over a hundred…!"
More than a hundred trained armed soldiers. And in a confined room.
Impossible for Han alone.
Han glanced at Anise.
Then clicked his tongue softly. Unreliable.
She who felt uncomfortable even watching someone die, let alone killing. Power meant nothing without the will to use it.
Their weapons were all made by Han U-sol.
Infused with anti-demon energy that could inflict serious damage on magic beasts—or humans—with even a graze. A bullet brushing her would hit hard.
No matter her strength or speed, could she dodge a concentrated barrage in that tight space?
Betty was right. It was dangerous. Concentrated fire in close quarters was a major threat.
But there was no other way to turn this around except storming in to rescue Camilla.
"………."
Han started feeling anxious.
If Anise was dropped there, would she fight without hesitation? Could she even kill?
Would she hesitate mid-swing and end up riddled with bullets? Endless worries flashed through his mind.
But time was short. No luxury to wait for her resolve.
He looked at Anise. Still undecided.
"We have no choice, even if it's dangerous. We have to go."
Frustrated but firm, Han stated it. They had to take the risk now.
Betty stared hard at Anise too. Her golden eyes met Anise's blue ones. Betty sensed anxiety and confusion in Anise's wavering pupils.
Betty vaguely knew it too. They had to risk it now.
Convince Anise, spur her on, rescue Camilla, kill Colton.
Otherwise, no good fate awaited them. Betty knew that.
But Anise was still wavering. Torn between past and present, suffering.
"………."
Betty didn't want to push the shaken girl into danger.
So.
Betty shook her head.
Even knowing it was wrong.
"……No."
"Don't be stubborn, Betty. We have to."
"…I said no!!"
"…Betty!!"
"No!!!!!!!!!!!"
"You…!!"
That pint-sized brat.
Han swallowed the curse that nearly burst out.
Irritation surged. If Betty, the teleporter, refused, Han was out of options.
The refugees, who'd been listening to the guards, had now entered Sector A with the freed heroes.
They weren't exactly docile, but not primed for immediate violence either.
He pierced their emotions with his ability.
Doubt ruled the refugees.
Sudden friendliness from the guards bred suspicion.
"………."
Han's hand went to the revolver at his waist. One he'd picked up from Han U-sol's stock while arming the refugees.
He drew and aimed.
Target: a refugee. The weakest among them.
The one whose death would most grieve and enrage the crowd.
A little girl.
Han's eyes locked on her.
"……Han?"
Maybe ten years old.
Whatever tragic story brought her here, she was too flower-like for a radical protest or riot.
Dust-grayed hair.
As if symbolizing her harsh life and pitiful state.
Han pierced the girl's emotions.
What she held: hope.
Innocent faith in the guards' words, dreaming happily of tomorrow.
A child.
A girl, no less.
If such a girl died by a guard's bullet amid them—what would the refugees do?
Fury, betrayal of trust, riot, chaos. Obviously.
"………."
To avoid stopping, he had to do something.
Even if it crushed a little girl's dream.
Han's finger on the trigger didn't hesitate.
-Bang!
The bullet flew toward the girl.
-Thud!
A red hydrangea bloomed from the girl's chest.
The hydrangea flared brilliantly toward the sky, then wilted away.
Everyone took in the sight. Guards and heroes panicked; refugees raged.
Like paint splattered on a white canvas, the vivid scene burned into Anise's eyes too.
[See, sis?]
The flower language of the red hydrangea: a girl's dream.
[She killed me again.]
On this day, one little girl's dream vanished.