Chapter 125
Chapter 125
After Story - Ercia & Renia
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Towers of magnificent colossi, whose ends could not be seen, stood in rows on both sides, and in their midst, Gothic-style towers and castles boasted a lofty majesty.
It was the planet Middleheim, where the headquarters of Eternity was located.
Unlike other planets, it had a flat structure, and with only the headquarters of Eternity present, it felt too one-dimensional to even be called a planet.
Tok, tok, tok—
Ercia entered the [Eternity Headquarters].
After 53 rounds, it had finally ended.
In Earth's time, it was a period of over 500 years.
In the time of the universe, it was but a fleeting moment, but spending 500 years in a repeated flow was quite an ordeal.
But thanks to the agent of the mission, Han Tae-jin, she was finally able to tie the knot.
Of course.
‘Please, be safe….’
Tae-jin, who had fallen into a critical condition, weighed on her mind.
Faced with the mighty power of God R'hell, the crisis of failure had come once again, and Tae-jin had used the mechanical device made by Yu-ra.
That device was still a prototype.
Despite the dissuasion of his companions, Tae-jin, as if it were no big deal, had taken off his mana filtration breathing device and put on the Mana Booster device.
Thanks to that, they won.
He became a monster to catch a monster.
But because he had absorbed the dark mana as it was, a physical transformation comparable to a monster had occurred, and the companions had to start a second battle to stop Tae-jin.
Perhaps if Han-na, Baek Mi-hwa, and Yu-ra had not been able to lead Han Baek-ho's division, they would not have been able to save Han Tae-jin, nor would they have been able to escape the basin densely packed with monsters.
It felt like every event had come together perfectly as if clapping in unison for success.
And at the center of it all was the cadet named Han Tae-jin.
She still didn’t know why the 53rd round was the one where things changed, but it was undeniable that he had been the key to the mission.
She was grateful.
For doing his best, and for sacrificing himself to defeat God R'hell.
It was a miracle that he had only fallen into a critical condition.
Because Hunters who were poisoned by dark mana and began to corrupt always met a miserable end.
But Tae-jin did not let go of the thread of reason until the very end, and in the midst of his exploding madness, he had succeeded in neutralizing the dark mana.
And, the one who had a profound influence on that neutralization was, of course, Renia.
Renia had calmed the exploding madness and held on to his fading reason as much as possible.
Thanks to her, Tae-jin was able to escape complete corruption.
‘By the way, to think Renia was an alien.’
Immediately after Tae-jin lost consciousness, Renia’s body began to turn into a halo of light.
And then, Renia, who had disappeared, saying it was time to return to her planet.
It was only after returning to Eternity Headquarters that Ercia learned there was interplanetary exchange between certain planets.
‘Indeed, the universe is a place where there is still so much to learn and experience.’
Even for an apostle who had just completed her first mission, the universe remained an unknown world.
Tok, tok, tok—
Ercia’s steps stopped.
It was a wide, circular hall.
A place where golden tiles adorned the floor and three golden pillars stood.
《You have come, Ercia.》
As she arrived there, an omnipotent voice echoed through the hall.
Ercia bowed her head and replied.
“Yes.”
It was the voice of Elmen, a high-ranking apostle who managed the rookie apostles.
《As expected, you did not disappoint.》
“It took a long time.”
《Not at all. There are plenty of apostles who cannot find the answer even after 1,000 years.》
“There is something I wish to ask.”
《Ask.》
“Can the agent of the mission chosen by Eternity be wrong?”
《It can.》
“…I see. But I do not doubt that Eternity’s choice would be wrong without reason.”
《That is also true. The choices of the highest-ranking apostles of Eternity are never amiss.》
“Does that mean it was a test?”
《We are the apostles who govern the fate of planets. Flexible thinking, decisiveness, and the insight to observe the whole are essential virtues. Also, one must be able to find the answer for oneself to become the guardian deity of a planet.》
“…It was a test. How wicked.”
《Wicked? Let’s call it rather… noble, for now.》
“There is something else I wish to ask.”
《Ask.》
“I believe that regression is rewinding the future. That those who have lost their memories can only change according to the choices of those who have their memories.”
《That is right. Active change cannot occur. For them, it is merely the beginning of the same day.》
“But there was one who changed on his own, even though I did not intervene. He was the new agent of the mission. Is such a thing possible?”
《Well… only the highest-ranking apostles would know. Or perhaps.》
“Or perhaps…?”
《He might be another apostle meant to save you.》
“…Are you saying that I was saved?”
《I do not know for sure. The profound thoughts of the highest-ranking apostles are unfathomable.》
“….”
Ercia, who seemed somewhat shocked, silently raised her gaze.
An apostle meant to save her, who was performing the salvation.
Han Tae-jin of the 53rd round had shown a change that fit that inference, but it was just an inference.
Just because she was an apostle did not mean she could see through everything.
However, the name Han Tae-jin was carved even more intensely in Ercia’s mind.
Han Tae-jin.
Whatever his true identity was, it was certain that he was an extraordinary man.
《If you have no more questions, then take a rest.》
“What happens when the rest is over?”
《You have only just taken your first steps as an apostle. Now, to become the guardian deity of the planet you saved, it is time to begin your formal lessons.》
“Formal lessons…?”
Ercia murmured doubtfully.
Following that, her lips drew a faint arc.
Because becoming the guardian deity of the planet she saved meant that she would be heading back to Earth.
Ercia raised her head, looked at the end of the pillar and said.
“Very well.”
Ercia thought that perhaps what she had seen in the Tower of Trials was not a trial, but the future.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Your Majesty.”
“You have returned.”
“Yes.”
“So… did you come back safely?”
It was a luxurious palace.
Various weapons and accessories hanging on the walls emitted a golden light, the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling was elegant, and the bright lighting illuminated the splendor of the palace.
The place that had been closer to an old castle when she was summoned by Tae-jin had now been transformed into a palace.
With each summons, departure, and return, the lifestyle, culture, and ideology of the clan were developing.
The once-primitive civilization was blooming brilliantly with the [knowledge] brought from Earth.
“Yes. I have transferred all the knowledge to the transmission center.”
“I see. You have worked hard all this time.”
“Yes?”
Renia looked up at her mother, the queen of the clan, who was sitting on the throne.
Because she knew well that her mother had never said she had worked hard ‘all this time’ before.
Queen Engisia rose from the throne and descended the stairs.
Towards her daughter.
“A message from the guardian deity has arrived.”
“Yes?”
“As you know, the guardian deity always speaks only for the sake of the clan.”
“Th-that’s right?”
The words of the guardian deity, which only the royal family could hear, had also delivered messages even before the summons began.
“But this time, he spoke of something different. Thanks to that, I had enough time to prepare my heart.”
“Prepare… your heart?”
At the meaningful stories, Renia looked at her mother with a bewildered expression.
Her mother’s expression, which she had never seen before, held a stoic sadness.
“Your Majesty…?”
Engisia stood in front of Renia.
Then, with a warm touch, she tucked Renia’s hair behind her ear.
“I heard everything. About what happened on Earth.”
“Yes…?”
“Han Tae-jin, he seems to be quite a wonderful man.”
“Y-Your Majesty…?”
“I was once like that too. A summoned being who loved her summoner, though in the end, it ended in regret.”
At her mother, who was spouting words she could not understand at all, Renia could not give a proper answer.
One thing was certain—the future she had seen in the Tower of Trials seemed likely to change.
“You are certainly my daughter. Seeing you walk the same path as your mother.”
Engisia lightly held Renia’s two hands and caressed the back of her hands with her thumbs.
“I had no choice but to choose regret for the prosperity of the clan, but you… you do not have to.”
“Your Majesty….”
Moisture welled up in Renia’s large eyes.
She was finally beginning to understand her mother’s words.
Her mother, who had been preparing her heart while she was away, had been preparing for a farewell.
Engisia scanned her daughter with eyes that were welling up with moisture just like Renia’s.
Knowing it was their last moment, and hoping that even if this decision would give birth to another regret, her daughter would not struggle in the same sadness as herself, Engisia silently hugged her daughter.
“You have worked hard for the clan all this time. The guardian deity must be granting your wish to praise your merits. When the guardian deity has given his permission, how could I, your mother hold you back?”
Engisia murmured stoically, as if it were natural, to hide her sadness.
Knowing that the longer a farewell is, the greater the pain becomes, she did not want to drag on with lingering attachments, but contrary to her heart, her mouth played the fool.
“But there is something you must know. All your abilities as a succubus will disappear, and you will become an ordinary human. Your lifespan will also be shortened. Will that be alright?”
Fearing that tears would burst out if she opened her mouth, Renia swallowed her tears and nodded her head.
“Yes. You are indeed my daughter.”
“Heuk…. Mom….”
But the tears she had held back finally burst out.
The teardrops that had formed in her eyes flowed down her cheeks and wet her mother’s shoulder.
Engisia began to pat her daughter’s back for the last time.
“You must be happy, my daughter.”
“Sniff…. Mom, I’m sorry….”
“No. I just hope that you, at least, do not feel the same sadness as me. Leave the clan to me and go. That is all this mother can do for you.”
“Waaah… Waaah…!”
Although it would have been natural to resent the daughter who was leaving her side, Engisia silently uttered her farewell.
However, the tears she could not hide began to wet Renia’s shoulder.
“Do not cry.”
“Heuk… Mom, Momaa….”
Engisia released the hug and wiped her daughter’s tears.
Hoping that her own tears would just dry.
“Do you intend to reunite with that man with your eyes all puffy? Stop crying. Anyone would think you were going to die.”
Tears clung to the corners of her forcibly raised mouth.
Even though she had prepared her heart, even though she had prepared for the farewell, she realized for the first and last time that the sadness of sending her daughter away was something she could not dare to stop.
“Sniff… Thank you… Mom….”
“No. As long as you are happy, that is enough.”
The two looked at each other affectionately.
Then, Renia abruptly knelt down and prostrated herself in a bow.
It was a farewell as a human, which did not exist in the succubus clan.
Tears were flowing from between her tightly closed eyes like a dry waterfall.
“Farewell…. My daughter.”
Fwoosh—
Moments later, in the spot where Renia had bowed, only a golden halo of light flowed down like autumn leaves.