Chapter 241
Chapter: 241
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 241
>Chapter Title: Return (1)
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>"Guk?"
At the bizarre screech from the old priest's mouth, the little girl scowled fiercely.
"What the hell are you doing? Have some dignity."
"Hey, don't look at me with those disgusting eyes, alright? It actually hurts."
Famine waved his hand dismissively and continued with a grave expression.
"One of my familiars just died. This can't be! What the hell happened?"
He had been a fairly capable and useful familiar, too. To think he'd die so pointlessly like this?
Greed glared at the high demon lord, who was making a fuss in a way that didn't suit his greed, with eyes full of pity.
"Did he leave anything behind?"
"Hmm... Nothing at all?"
Famine focused his mind toward the north, but all he could sense was the faintest lingering thought.
[Ahh, I must tell my master about this soon...]
It was the most useless dying message imaginable.
Tell him what, exactly?
Who the hell killed you?
"Did the Guardian return? I didn't sense anything."
It wasn't unreasonable for Greed to think that.
The forces prepared to take Zigsmund Territory couldn't possibly be defeated unless the Guardian came in person.
But Famine shook his head.
"No, Delcross's Guardian hasn't returned from the Rift yet. Damn, nothing's going according to plan."
Originally, they had planned to lure Delcross's Guardian—who was tied down—into breaking the [Accord] out of desperation.
Famine scratched his increasingly balding pate.
"If I'd known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have started things so half-heartedly. Pestilence went way overboard."
Who would've thought that powerful Guardian would be tied up all day creating that many dimensions!
Because of it, their plans had fallen apart halfway.
They hadn't conquered Zigsmund Territory, nor had they managed to bring down Delcross's Guardian.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, Famine jumped in shock and shouted.
"The Ice Hearts! What do we do with those? Pestilence insisted we return them."
What was it again? Those things from that server... world were supposed to be incredibly rare.
He'd heard they'd poured all their funds into acquiring them.
"How many did you borrow?"
Gluttony, who knew Pestilence's temperament all too well, rarely showed an uncomfortable look.
"Five. I trusted my familiar because he was pretty competent and handed them all over, but now he's dead without a trace. How the hell do we get them back?"
Convinced that Pestilence would demand full repayment no matter what, Famine let out a deep sigh with a gloomy face.
* * *
Once the target demon was caught, everything else proceeded smoothly.
On his way back to the front lines, Logan unleashed his sword without restraint. There was no longer any need to hold back.
Ice tombs of Glacier Trolls piled up one by one along his path, and the corpses of hundreds of Lycanslopes littered the ground.
Along the way, Logan witnessed an unexpected sight.
In the middle of a slope, Vince was standing there blankly, staring into empty space.
"...Isungjin?"
Something was off about his vibe.
Even as a half-destroyed Glacier Troll swung its fist at him, Vince made no move to respond. He looked like his soul had left his body.
After watching Vince for a moment, Logan hurriedly sought out the Wolf Knights.
"How long has he been standing there like that?"
The sudden question from the young Sword Master threw the Wolf Knights into momentary confusion. But soon, Sir Ilma stepped forward and answered calmly.
"Not long. His movements gradually slowed, and he's been like that since a bit ago. The battlefield's mostly stabilized now, so perhaps Your Highness stopped controlling him?"
"I see."
Logan's face grew serious.
He'd been rampaging so wildly just moments ago, and now he stops the moment things ease up? That guy?
'No way.'
Something had definitely happened to Isungjin.
"Damn it!"
Ignoring the Lycanslope charging at him, Logan dashed quickly toward the rear.
Please, let him be okay! Please!
* * *
Sniff. Sniff.
A small sobbing sound came from somewhere.
Seongjin walked blankly, listening to the sound as if it were a familiar lullaby.
[Isungjin, you idiot! I knew it would end up like this.]
The voice belonged to a tiny soul.
The soul, blinking red in time with the sniffles, trailed after Seongjin, continuing to whimper.
[How long did you think a soul separated from its body could last? You never think about the aftermath, do you? Your father's not even coming, so how do you plan to get back now?]
'......'
Seongjin carefully cupped the demon king's speck of a soul.
Even in his much smaller hand, the fragile soul was barely a handful. It had become so insignificant and weak that he could no longer hate it like before.
[What are we going to do now? Sniff, sniff.]
Why are you so sad about it, Demon King?
Seongjin found it puzzling.
Didn't you say from the start that this was how it was supposed to end? That we'd be engulfed in Gehenna's flames and our souls would scatter completely.
[It's different from back then. I didn't care about you before, but now you want to go back.]
I want to go back?
[You truly wanted to stay in that world.]
Well, maybe.
But Demon King, why are you crying so pitifully? Even when you were stranded alone in a dimension before, you didn't seem this heartbroken.
[That's because you're the sad one! Sniff.]
'......'
...Is that so?
Honestly, at this point, Seongjin wasn't sure.
[Moreth! Moreth! Come back soon!]
[Moreth! Moreth! Don't go far!]
See? The usual noisy brats' voices are ringing in my ears. But nothing comes to mind.
By the way, you kids. Stop repeating the same thing over and over. It's subtly annoying and grating.
[Your Highness, please come back. Please don't abandon this Bruno!]
A desperate plea from someone far away reached him.
Ah, right. There's still karma binding me to him.
It's been so long since I was exiled from the world; without me, he probably can't stay there anymore. I can't just leave him like that.
'But the pull of that karma is far too weak to cling to.'
True enough.
Seongjin's steps slowed a bit.
He didn't particularly feel like returning, but he couldn't help the heaviness settling in one corner of his heart.
[Your Highness! Your Highness! Please open your eyes!]
Then, an urgent knight's voice rang out.
Seongjin halted and turned around.
Sir Masin. The guy who always suffered worrying while following me. He'd be heartbroken if we parted like this.
'Maybe it's better to let go now.'
Yeah, maybe.
What a pointless hassle this has been for both of us.
Thinking about it now, living as Moreth has felt a bit overwhelming. There are so many more things to worry about than when I was alone.
He was about to start walking again when—
Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling.
Suddenly, the sound of bells rang from above his head.
'......?'
[Ho ho ho ho!]
Ho ho ho? What's that? Who's laughing?
As he wondered, a figure floated down lightly from above.
The movements were so sprightly they could belong to a fairy. Except the figure was a bald old man wearing a red hat.
[...What? Who's this old geezer?]
The sniffling Demon King stopped crying and asked in bewilderment.
[Ho ho ho! Where do you think you're going, little one!]
The old man shouted as he landed gracefully in front of Seongjin.
Whoa! Amelia sis! Look at this! Dragons are real, and now Santa exists in this world too!
Guess childhood innocence is worth preserving, even if I never believed as a kid.
As if reading Seongjin's thoughts, the old man scowled and yelled.
[You brat! Cut it out! I'm not that Santa thing!]
Oh, really?
Upon closer inspection, the old man did differ a bit from the Santa in his memories.
He wore a red conical hat and had a white beard, but his build was much scrawnier than Santa's.
Moreover, he wasn't wearing a red coat but ornate priestly robes emblazoned with the emblem of the God of Fire.
Huh? Priest?
[That's right! I am the famous Saint Aurelion himself!]
Seongjin stared at the old man in stupefaction at his bold self-introduction.
Um, do saints usually call themselves that? And you're quite different from the picture book image.
The old man shot Seongjin a dissatisfied glare.
[This is all your fault! Hmph! Tsk tsk tsk.]
My fault?
[Yes, child. What did you think when you first saw me?]
Seongjin carefully recalled recent events.
The first time he'd properly seen Saint Aurelion's image was probably in the big city of Regina.
He'd thought the little old men densely displayed by street vendors looked just like the mass-produced Santa dolls from his childhood store.
...Huh, Santa?
[Do you get it now?]
So this is my fault? Because I thought you looked like Santa?
The old man thumped his chest and lamented.
[Of course it's your fault! You imprinted such a strong image and sent it out, and then everyone who received it pours their own strong wishes onto it—how could the image not grow stronger!]
Wishes?
[Yes. Go back and rein in your family, especially your father! A proxy of God receives daily blessings—how could the image not intensify? What if my image really turns into a pot-bellied old man!]
Hmm. That might be problematic.
But at least you'd avoid the baldness...
As Seongjin harbored that rude thought, the old man kept grumbling.
[And tell your family to stop corrupting my image! Hmph! The purest children's wish is to save the worst kid! Tsk tsk tsk!]
No, old man. You said you're not Santa—why the good kids talk?
And why am I the worst kid? I did my best for this unfamiliar world!
Aurelion narrowed his eyes and glared at Seongjin.
[If not the kid who drives nails into his family's hearts—especially his parents'—then who is?]
'......'
Suddenly, Seongjin felt something surging up from his chest.
...Parents?
Mine?
Dazed by the whirlwind of emotions, he stood there as the old man cleared his throat and pointed somewhere.
[Look over there. I came to remind you of something you seem to have forgotten.]
Forgotten?
Following the old man's finger, Seongjin turned his head and saw a faint thread-like line in the distance.
It was just a thin strand, but it shimmered alone in the darkness, exuding a strange presence. Seongjin felt a flicker of curiosity.
[Sniff, sniff.]
The Demon King started sniffling again.
[...What is it, old man? That's pretty decent.]
The voices incessantly chattering in his ears grew even noisier.
[Wahhh! Bald old man! Thank you! We teased you for doing stupid things, but now we'll make you a big conical hat!]
[No, I said don't! I granted your wish, so let's end it here!]
[Wahhh! Bald old man! Thanks! We thought it was a waste, but we'll prepare flowers and lace to decorate you right now!]
[No, let me go already! How long do you plan to use me!]
Ignoring their racket, Seongjin approached the shimmering thread.
He absentmindedly touched one spot—
—As he took up his sword and sang—
A strange melody echoed from the thread.
Hm? What's this?
Seongjin stepped along the long thread and listened carefully.
—The Moon Fairy Olivier took up his sword and sang—
Ah. I think I know what this is.
Feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, Seongjin slowly wound the thread. It began to hum joyfully in response.
—The whole world resonated and swore never to impede his journey.
Yes.
Amelia sis was right.
This really was a poem. Not a curse.
But it's okay, sis. Angels don't need great craftsmanship.
[Come back safely, Moreth.]
The earnest thought woven into the song reached him.
Seongjin hesitated for a moment.
The first to embrace me when I opened my eyes in this world was sis.
If I let go of this thread, she'd be heartbroken.
So...
"Ha!"
"Your Highness!"
...Huh?
At the voice calling him, Seongjin slowly opened his eyes.
Through his blurry vision, a familiar figure swam into view. Squinting at it, Seongjin spoke.
"...Ah, Sir Masin?"
"......"
Yes, it's you, bro.
You always said you'd become a knight to guard the Blue Rose Palace.
The knight looking down at him reddened around the eyes. His face looked ready to burst into tears.
Tap.
Then, someone's hand covered Seongjin's eyes.
"It's not fully healed yet, so keep them closed a bit longer."
A familiar voice accompanied a warm energy seeping into his eyes—a powerful divine power rarely seen.
"Logan."
"...Yeah."
"Did you catch the demon?"
"......"
A brief silence passed.
But soon, the usual calm voice replied.
"Of course. What do you take me for? Zigsmund Territory's all sorted, so stop worrying and get some rest."
"Mm......"
Yeah, I figured as much.
Ever since Logan arrived, I'd had a feeling everything would work out.
"You rascal, so reliable......"
Bro, man.
Hearing the faint response, Seongjin surrendered to the overwhelming drowsiness.