Chapter 122
Chapter 122
The Beginning of Salvation - Park Na-yeon & Kim Hye-seo
****
Hwaak—!
“Huh?”
I had only blinked once, but the scenery had changed.
I saw a pointed spire built of stone, and at the end of that spire, a black flag was fluttering.
“Wh-where is this…?”
A low wall surrounded the city, and that wall, surrounded by a moat of blue waves, painted a familiar scene.
“Isn’t this the capital city of Elysion…?”
And I was looking down at that capital city, sitting on a high mountain slope.
I was leaning against something in the shade, and it seemed to be under a very old tree.
“Is this… a dream?”
I muttered as I looked around in bewilderment.
The scene spread out before my eyes was clearly the capital city of Elysion.
And that black flag was the flag that symbolized the royal family of Elysion.
It felt too real to be a dream, and since my memory of entering the tower was clear, this must be closer to a hallucination.
At that moment.
“You slept for a long time, you must still be drowsy.”
A familiar voice came from beside me.
At the same time, I was able to realize.
That this place was a past created by a hallucination or an illusion.
“Elroden…?”
When I turned my head, I saw Elroden, also leaning against the old tree.
No, I saw our Tae-jin.
“Raphia. Did you sleep well?”
“…Well, so-so.”
Dark black hair that didn’t fit this other world.
I didn’t notice it before because it was a common color in South Korea, but the black hair that shone even in the shade was definitely Tae-jin’s.
That damn tower, the entry conditions seem to be quite strict.
To create a world in an illusion so naturally.
But, if they were going to do that, they should have distorted my memory too.
Hallucinations or illusions are supposed to be as elaborate and perfect as magic.
Because this flimsy world couldn’t cause me any trial or chaos.
Instead.
“It’s good to see your face after a long time. El, ah… um. No. Tae-jin.”
“Huh? Tae-jin?”
Elroden asked back with a puzzled expression.
It was only natural.
Because we, whose memories had been sealed upon being transported to this other world, knew nothing other than extremely limited information.
“Geez, if my memory had been this clear, it wouldn’t have taken long to find you.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“It’s just something.”
“Are you perhaps sleep-talking?”
“No, my mind is clearer than ever.”
I, who did not dwell on the past or regrets, was obsessed only with Tae-jin.
But I had found Tae-jin, and even if there was partial memory loss due to the dimensional travel, even if something else had possessed him, as long as he remembered that I was ‘Raphia’, he was ‘Elroden’ to me.
Therefore,
This kind of lingering attachment didn’t have a big impact on me.
But it’s a little unexpected.
I thought I would be very sad and cry when I saw him, but I’m strangely calm.
Well, it must be because I found Tae-jin.
If I hadn't found him, I would have been crying my eyes out by now.
“…What are you thinking about so much? You’re a little strange today. Raphia?”
“It’s only natural that I’m strange.”
Pfft, I let out a small laugh.
Tae-jin had asked the same question once.
No, the situation itself was not a fabrication in the first place.
Because there was a time when we sat on a high hill overlooking the capital city of Elysion, took a short rest, and talked about this and that.
At that time, Tae-jin had asked abruptly.
“By the way, should we just run away and live in hiding?”
Right before the final battle with the black dragon.
He had guessed that we wouldn't recognize each other if we returned to Earth.
Hmm, how did I answer then….
I don’t know.
The fact that it was forgotten must mean that it was an answer that didn't need to be remembered.
I smiled, stood up, and brushed off my bottom.
“There’s no need for that. Because we’ll meet.”
Well, the timing was a bit late, but the fact that we had reunited was enough.
Elroden stood up after me.
“You seem quite sure?”
“Of course. Even if you forget me, I will remember you. We’ll meet again.”
“…Is that so? You’re as cool as ever.”
I don’t know how to end this fantasy world.
I just think I have a rough idea of what that method is.
“I have to go back.”
“Is it that time already? Hmm? We still have a lot of rest time left.”
“I made a promise with Renia.”
“Renia? Who’s that?”
“To protect Han Tae-jin’s side.”
Elroden’s expression changed to a complex and subtle one.
It was an expression as if he had accepted some matter.
“Renia, that’s a somewhat familiar name.”
“So I have to go back. I’m a person who takes promises very seriously. You know that, right?”
This time, Elroden let out a small laugh.
Then, he looked at the still-fluttering black flag and nodded his head.
“Of course. I know that well.”
“Anyway, it was nice to see you.”
I offered Elroden a handshake.
The promise I made to Renia was by no means a careless oath. It was a promise made with the resolve to endure any temptation, hardship, or trial.
Therefore, the lingering feelings and sadness I have left can be covered up under the name of the promise.
Just as I fulfilled the promise to find Tae-jin.
It is now my turn to fulfill the promise to protect Tae-jin.
“Well, even if it’s sleep-talking, I should play along.”
Elroden took my hand.
At the same time, the fluttering flag stopped like ice.
In the stopped time, only the two of us were moving.
“Goodbye. Raphia.”
“Goodbye. Elroden.”
And, there was now only one place for me to be.
Soon, my vision began to darken.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Kyaak! D-darling! It’s an attack-!!”
…Huh? This is Mom’s voice.
“Damn it-!! Hye-seo! Hurry up and pack your things!”
Huh…? This is Dad’s voice.
What. What’s going on all of a sudden?
“Get a hold of yourself! Kim Hye-seo!”
Smack!
My father, who had only been a blur before my eyes, became clearly drawn. Even the hand that slapped me was warm, my dad’s hand.
I used to envy his cool mustache and insisted that he make me a boy too.
“…Dad?”
“There’s no time! Hurry up!”
I spread my hand and looked down.
I know what time this is.
It was the day my parents died in a villain raid when I was 9 years old.
As if to prove it.
The hand I looked down at was that of a 9-year-old kid.
My gaze at my parents also had to be tilted up as much as then.
It’s clear that some kind of trap was activated as soon as I entered the tower.
Otherwise, that day wouldn’t be reproduced so vividly.
BOOM!
A huge explosion was heard from far outside the house.
A strong shockwave, enough to shake the ground, shattered the windows.
Wajangchang—!
A fear that was no different from then.
My heart pounded, and the faster my heartbeat, the slower time went.
A fear I knew because I had experienced it.
A fear that was scary because I had buried it.
I had paid a great price to escape from that day.
So I thought I had finally escaped.
Completely.
From the fear of that day.
But…
“D-dad? Mom?!”
That day, which had come again, told me that I hadn’t escaped from the fear, but that the fear had just been letting me be.
“Hye-seo!! Escape with Mom through the back door!! Hurry!!”
“Darling-!!”
“Keuheuk! Hye-seo’s mom, hurry up and go-!!”
My dad shouted as he blocked the banging front door with his whole body.
A door that was shaking as if it would break at any moment.
The power of an ordinary person, my dad, and a villain was like an egg and a rock.
Soon.
CRASH—!
The door shattered and a villain broke in.
A man with a huge build that filled the front door frame.
It was Kietun, the enemy who killed my dad and mom, and who would later be crushed by my hands.
But at this moment, the ones being crushed were my mom and dad.
The guy grabbed my dad’s collar with one hand and lifted him up.
My dad floated in the air and shouted at us.
“Hurry! Hurry and escape to the underground shelter-!!”
The homes of ordinary citizens who were threatened by monsters and villains each had a shelter.
It was a safe-type shelter that could withstand most attacks, and our house, which was that of an upper-class citizen at the time, also had a shelter.
I was to escape there with my mom, and in the process, my dad would die, and my mom would sacrifice herself to buy the time needed to close the shelter door.
For me… everyone died that day.
And so I was locked in the safe, wetting myself, and waiting for the explosions and screams to end.
All a 9-year-old kid could do was be protected and run away.
“Hurry-!! Run away-! Keuheuk!”
My dad’s desperate cry pushed our bodies.
“L-let’s go! Hye-seo! Hurry-!!”
But I shook off my mom’s hand.
And I ran in the opposite direction of the shelter, towards my dad.
“H-Hye-seo-!!”
I’m not a 9-year-old kid anymore.
Even though my limbs have become shorter, I’m not the stupid kid who survived on the lives of my dad and mom like then!
I don’t know what this illusion, which rudely appeared and stimulated my fear, wants from me.
But the days I lived in regret and exhaustion were no different from a life worse than death.
I don’t want to repeat the foolish act of slitting my wrist out of longing!
Even if my toddling steps seem to widen the distance with the guy, it’s much better than running away with those toddling steps!
I heard my mom’s scream, which was like a cry, from behind me, but I was already running, holding a dagger in my hand.
With this weak arm, I wouldn’t be able to make a single scratch on the guy’s side.
But, I don’t want to run away anymore, and I don’t want to collapse at this point when the destruction of Illusion is right before my eyes.
My dad and mom’s sacrifice is enough once…!
I grabbed the hilt of the knife with both hands and thrust it towards the guy’s side.
Even if his back was turned, nothing would change, but this one step forward would prevent two steps back.
“Uwaaaaaak—!”
Letting out a scream no different from a villain.
Puuk—!
I stabbed the dagger into the guy’s side.
The guy’s skin, which seemed like it wouldn’t get a single scratch, was pierced all too easily, and then time stopped.
A stop where I couldn't even breathe.
In it, the guy spurted a fountain of blood from his pierced side.
Following that.
Crack—!
The space shattered, and I was able to achieve complete liberation from my hidden regret.
Hwaak—!
And when I opened my eyes again.
“Miss Hye-seo! You’re awake-!”
“I believed in you-!!”
I could see Na-yeon and Renia hugging me and being happy.
The embrace of the two people, which I had felt for the first time since losing my parents, felt just like my dad and mom were hugging me.
Tae-jin and Ercia were also looking at me with a pleased smile.
...Tch.
<w:pgmar w:bottom="1440" w:top="1440" w:left="1440" w:right="1440" w:header="720" w:footer="720"><w:pgnumtype w:start="1"><w:r w:rsiddel="00000000" w:rsidr="00000000" w:rsidrpr="00000000"><w:rpr><w:sz w:val="28"><w:szcs w:val="28"><w:rtl w:val="0"><w:t xml:space="preserve">I was the last one, huh?