Chapter 463: Wings
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 463: Wings
“The terms…”
“We accept.”
Voices continued to drift from the prepared room. It was the Western Continent Alliance and Jung Hayeon. They appeared to be discussing various matters regarding the surrender procedures, but there were no complications. Those who had risen to power as the new leaders of the West were the heads of the Revolutionary Army, including the golden-haired Saintess Jane, who could be considered our allies. Having realized the disparity in power, the others had already lost the will to fight.
The same held true at the negotiating table, a battlefield of pens rather than swords.
“We don’t require heavy armaments, but we do need a supply of weapons.”
“Of course, we accept.”
“Control of the Western Continent will be centered around Garia in the Central Continent…”
“Understood.”
It was only natural that Jung Hayeon’s voice, negotiating under Jang Ye Ri’s observation, sounded quite at ease. The negotiations were proceeding so smoothly that it made all their various preparations seem unnecessary. Dwarves and Westerners alike, none of them wanted this state of affairs to continue. It was a matter of survival; they were undoubtedly more interested in food aid than the terms of surrender.
“Hoo…”
In a separate room, I began to tap the armrest of the Iron Throne.
The negotiations would likely conclude without a hitch.
I didn’t know what path the Western Continent would take from here, but it wasn’t hard to guess. After the war criminals and their associates were punished, things would slowly change, from the smallest details to the largest structures. The common people would find a semblance of peaceful life, and so much would change that it would be hard to find any trace of the old, distorted social structure.
Since I had nodded in approval of the plan to build a grand temple, a respectable one, though not as grand as the temple in the East, would be built, and religion would spread from there. This was a land of dwarves. It was possible they might even build something greater than the Eastern temple.
Truthfully, I didn’t have the luxury to worry about them.
The reason was that I believed my own problems were far greater.
‘Maria.’
Seeing her made me realize many things. I had called her a foolish bitch, and I truly believed it, but seeing her completely consumed by her emotions was not a pleasant sight. Even Choi Seulgi had subtly shown her concern for me, so as the one who possessed what could only be described as an unconventional power, I had no choice but to think more deeply on the matter.
At first, when Ragia died, it wasn’t difficult to overcome the sorrow I acquired. My state was unstable, but it felt like a good fit, and it felt less like I was being influenced by the emotion and more like I was controlling it.
The problem was Greed and Wrath.
I wasn’t mad like Maria, but I was being influenced by those two emotions.
It wouldn’t be strange if some other incident were to drive me mad. I could feel a change even now, in the process of becoming one with their respective weapons. Assuming the power of the Seats I possessed continued to grow, I realized they could one day destroy my body and mind.
- What is the greed that you envision?
This was also why I couldn’t answer the voice that kept ringing in my ears.
After Maria’s death, I consumed the emotions of those who were furious with her to obtain the Seat of Greed. Unlike the Seat of Wrath, which took some time to acquire, the Seat of Greed found me much more quickly.
The emotion of greed is closer to me than wrath.
From the very beginning, I have craved endless strength. It’s no exaggeration to say that greed is the driving force that has made me who I am today. Accepting this power was a foregone conclusion. However, I felt I needed to think more about how to accept it and how to control it.
“Chief, what are you thinking about?”
“Nothing in particular.”
Mev, who had admirably defended the mines in my absence, spoke up while sipping milk from a bottle. In her hand was the milk of the Half-Minotaur Wingrin, which could currently only be obtained in the Land of Glory. Once the war ended and life became a little more stable, her product began to be distributed all the way to the continental front lines, and naturally, Mev had shrieked with joy at the news.
After she gained her unique ability, supply was no longer an issue, to the point that a factory had been built on the grounds. From what I’d heard, the milk she distributed had gained an explosive popularity even among the young Green Skins. When I first brought her to the village, I never would have imagined she’d turn out like this.
“Really?”
“……”
Her gaze was suspicious. Having spent so much time together, her skill at gauging my condition had improved considerably. It was a mystery why she couldn’t read her opponent’s hand during a card game. I let out a slow sigh and spoke.
“Mev.”
“Yeah?”
“Do I seem different to you?”
“Hmm…”
I’d tossed the question out casually, without much expectation. But Mev’s expression was surprisingly serious. She stopped sipping her milk, flapped her wings, and kept tilting her head. It was cute, but also a little unsettling. I didn’t want to hear her say I had changed.
“Hmmmmmm. Let’s see…”
Even though I wasn’t asking about my physical appearance, she blinked her large eyes and continued to observe me.
Just as I thought her face was getting a little close, Mev nodded and continued.
“Of course you’ve changed.”
“Mm…”
“You’re definitely different from before. I can’t really explain it, but hmm… Before, you seemed a little desperate, but these days, you seem more at ease…”
“Is that all?”
“Yep. That’s all I can think of right now… Are you worried about something, Chief?”
“It’s not like that.”
“I don’t really know what you’re thinking, but isn’t it more natural for Green Skins to change? That’s what I think.”
“……”
“I’ve changed a little, Jang Ye Ri has changed, Jung Hayeon has changed, and Baek Ahyeon has changed—everyone has changed. Our appearances have changed a lot, too. You used to be a handsome goblin, Chief. Now you’re an even cooler demon. I don’t really know what you’re talking about… hehe.”
Mev wasn’t wrong. Jang Ye Ri, who once considered taking her own life, now had a purpose to live for. Jung Hayeon, whose goal was once simple survival, had also found her own way of life. Choi Eunju, starting a new life, had become a completely different person, and Baek Ahyeon, who had lived a painful life, was now enjoying her hobbies.
The Elven Princess Alisha learned the meaning of struggle, and the Queen of the North became more desperate.
The same was true for negative changes.
Jang Ye Ri became more stubborn, and Jung Hayeon grew obsessed with her daughter. Baek Ahyeon became more dependent on me, and Choi Eunju grew more accustomed to sacrificing herself. Crucially, Choi Seulgi became incomparably more cruel than she was in her past life.
And yet, I love them.
Funnily enough, it’s the same for those around me. They care for me enough to embrace the parts of me that I consider a problem. I’ve never had a serious conversation with Choi Seulgi about this, but I believed she would care for me no matter how my personality changed.
If you fear change, you cannot move forward.
Maria made me realize many things. It wasn’t just her final moments, consumed by madness. The way she looked when she failed to protect what she held dear also remains in my memory.
If you are not strong, you cannot protect.
I began to think about the greed I possessed.
Immense power, endless strengthening, constant desire. I don’t know if it’s possible to obtain all of that, but the power they hold is certainly alluring.
However, for the current me, protecting is more important.
‘Wings.’
What I envisioned was a great pair of wings, a shield that could block anything. That was what I conjured by consuming the emotion of greed. Recalling the shape and size of the ones Ha Yuri had, the wings I desired quickly took form in my mind.
- Is this all?
To protect what I have—that is the greed I envision. Unlike Wrath, with whom I’d had a long conversation, Greed said nothing to me. It seemed displeased with my choice; I got the feeling it was a little sulky.
Slowly, another pair of limbs began to sprout from my back. Actually, calling them limbs is a bit ambiguous. It would be more accurate to say that the bone structure to support the wings formed first. I could soon feel a membrane forming as well. Wings shaped to envelop others.
It wasn’t painful. The shape was closer to a demon’s wings than an angel’s. They were large and massive, enough to wrap around my body. In order to make them retractable like Ha Yuri’s, I had to draw on the power of other emotions as well. The consumption of emotions was greater than I expected, which made me realize just how incredible Ha Yuri’s feat was.
“Hoo…”
CRRAAAAAASSSSH!!!
Finally, the wings that had sprouted in an instant smashed through one of the room’s walls. The surroundings immediately grew chaotic, and as the adjacent wall crumbled, people staring blankly at me came into view.
Jang Ye Ri and Jung Hayeon stared at me with shocked eyes. They swallowed for a moment at the sight of the suddenly collapsed wall, then looked startled again after realizing I was the one responsible for the accident.
“Taesung…?”
Given how shocked those two were, I don’t even need to describe the reaction of the Continental Alliance members who were in the middle of their meeting. I smiled slightly at the sight of their jaws hanging open.
“Whoaaaaaa… Amazing… Chief…”
Of course, the best reaction came from Mev. If Choi Seulgi and Baek Ahyeon were here, it would have been even louder, but Mev alone was noisy enough.
The sensation of having something attached to my back was incredibly foreign. It felt like having an extra pair of arms. When I moved the wings slightly, there was another CRASH!! as the wall next to me collapsed.
“My apologies.”
“N-No, it’s…”
“We were about to take a break anyway, so it doesn’t matter. More importantly, it suits you. My mate.”
Jang Ye Ri murmured, and everyone there nodded as if mesmerized. I thought it might just look that way because I was standing with the sun at my back, but I didn’t bother to say it out loud.
I casually pushed my body toward the gaping hole. Naturally, power immediately flowed into the massive wings. Without any particular effort, I felt my body shoot up into the sky.
It wasn’t just the continental front. From the distant Brother’s Land to the Land of Glory where I now lived, the Goff and Black Spear Clans returning to the front, the people at work on construction, and the home we had built for ourselves—it all came into view at once.
The continent is beautiful. The lush forests, the grasslands, the deserts and volcanoes, and the people who have settled there as well.
It wasn’t a bad choice, but there is still much to sort out.
I sighed and slowly looked down, then spread my wings toward the people who were looking up at me with smiles. It wasn’t a bad feeling.