The North Sea's Broken Heart

Mirien possessed a memory more precious than anything else. It was the recollection of the moment she first embraced a new life within the rift. Before her stood the Ruler, Actor—an omnipotent being infinitely close to a god. Though his face was hidden behind a mask, she could tell from the blue glow emanating from within that this person desired her. Actor's gaze was nothing like that of the mage who had severed her limbs to implant magic stones and use her as an experiment subject. It was the gentlest gaze imaginable.

The Ruler Actor extended his hand. Though it was an insubstantial hand, Mirien could feel a warm sensation through the icy glove. [The Ruler of the Rift, 'Actor', bestows the 5☆ Pulsing Moon Heart upon the 5★ Storm of the North Sea, Mirien.]

The artificial heart she received as a gift from Actor granted Mirien a new lease on her short life. Life within the rift suited her as well. No one here persecuted Mirien. No one betrayed her. No one blamed her for her sins. Thus, Mirien found new solace beneath the Ruler Actor.

Then one day, an indescribable emotion took root in a corner of Mirien's heart. She was a possessor of a brilliant mind. It did not take her long to define that emotion as love. For Mirien, who had been born and raised as a machine devoid of any emotion, the feeling of love was more precious than anything else.

Yet she could not reveal this heart to anyone. It was something the Ruler Actor would not desire, and in the end, it would only plunge the rift ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dimension into chaos. Even so, though she did not speak of it, she wished to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠protect it. The emotion called love. The blind devotion of the girl Mirien ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠toward the Ruler Actor. And that creed remained unchanged even after Mirien was expelled from the rift and fell into a new dimension.

She built the tower. It was a stairway to the heavens for when Actor would reign anew. She tamed the storm dragon. It was to save Actor, who had been reduced to a human, when he fell into danger. She killed people. They were all dangerous individuals who sought to harm Actor. She formed an organization for ascension. It was to serve as an excellent driving force when Actor placed the world beneath his feet.

But Mirien's efforts were thoroughly betrayed. Actor chose the Scorched Saint, Selene. She was indignant, yet she did not despair. Selene would be a better vassal to serve Actor than herself, who harbored personal emotions. Thus, Mirien endured. However, to Actor, she was nothing more than an obstacle all along.

Not long ago, when she had killed the group that sought to harm Actor in Daejeon, she witnessed it. The fact that the Ruler Actor had come to conquer her tower. The fact that he intended to kill her.

'No, that can't be right.'

It couldn't be. Why would Actor kill her? She had grown accustomed to being abandoned, having experienced it once before, but she could not bear being treated as a hindrance in his life. He could treat her harshly. He could ignore her. He could get angry or even resort to violence. But a death sentence from Actor was something she could never accept, even in death.

'A mistake. There must be some kind of mistake.'

What Mirien chose was denial of reality. But just moments ago, she had heard it. She had heard it clearly.

'Once that tower erupts, it will be too late. Countless citizens will die. With a catastrophe unfolding in the heart of Seoul, I cannot stand by and watch. No matter the sacrifice, I will eliminate this potential threat.'

Actor's declaration of war, proclaimed to the entire world beneath the tower. From Actor's own lips, she had heard the words "potential threat." She had even heard his declaration that he would eliminate it.

Mirien could no longer escape from reality.

The system urged Mirien in a dry tone to eliminate the intruders. But she did not comply with that recommendation. How could she kill the Ruler Actor, who had given her a new life, with her own hands?

Thus, she sat in her chair and waited for Actor.

"…."

Eventually, the Ruler Actor—rather, Nam Juyeon—arrived at the top floor of the tower. Mirien lifted her head and took in the sight of Nam Juyeon. The bare face behind the mask she had so longed to see was right before her eyes. Yet what washed over her was despair rather than joy.

"—Actor."

Actor was before her. The existence she had yearned for so desperately. The name she had whispered like a prayer, clasping her blood-soaked hands even in her dreams. But the moment she uttered that name, her heart ached. Fear and anger surged within her simultaneously.

"…Why."

Mirien continued in a trembling voice.

"Are you… trying to kill me?"

Actor did not answer the question. She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted him to call her name. But at the same time, she was terrified. Terrified that he would say he had come to kill her. That she was nothing but a hindrance. The image of Actor saying such things floated through her mind.

"…Huu."

She told herself it couldn't be. Yet Actor had arrived here, and just moments ago, he had personally declared that he would kill her. No matter how much she shook her head in denial, her body reacted first. The lightning bolts floating around her began to stir violently. With every beat of her heart, the lightning within her pulsed, as if her blood were surging backward. Mirien's chaotic thoughts naturally reached their own conclusion.

"Did Selene tell you?"

Mirien sensed it. The source of all this anxiety and pain was that woman by Actor's side. The Scorched Saint Selene was trying to separate her from Actor. Whispering lies, trying to have him kill her with his own hands.

"That bitch… she's trying to tear me away from you?"

If that was the case, then what she had to do was simple. Her lips were parched, and a tingling sensation spread from her fingertips. Before Actor could eliminate her—first—

"Mirien, listen to me. It's a misunderstanding."

Actor said something, but she could no longer hear him. Actor was even conversing affectionately with Selene right beside him. The entire tower was Mirien's eyes. Nothing here could escape her sight.

"…."

In the end, Mirien could no longer observe herself objectively. She slowly rose from her seat. A natural manifestation of mana. Her two feet floated gently into the air.

"Actor, why…"

Mirien opened her mouth. Inwardly, she wanted to beg and plead. But what came out was something else.

"Why do you… hate me so much?"

Her voice trembled. A piercing sense of loss tightened around her heart.

"…I didn't want to do this."

If Actor truly intended to kill her—

Then why had she been deluding herself all this time that Actor needed her?

*

"My Lord, get back."

Before she could say anything, Selene stepped forward.

"No, if we just clear up the misunderstanding…"

"You are mistaken. Mirien will no longer listen to anyone. That woman is a natural disaster right now. A calamity in human form."

"What?"

"It's the same skill she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠used on the storm dragon."

The moment Selene finished speaking, she swung the Wedge Sword of Hellfire. It was not a preemptive strike. Before anyone realized it, the orb of lightning floating in the sky had plummeted toward the ground. Selene skillfully wielded her flames to dismantle the orb. Electricity spread outward, and a burning heat assaulted their faces.

"…Ugh."

"My Lord, please move aside. We need to calm that foolish magic sack of a woman, even if it means cutting off one of her arms."

"…No, even so!"

It was a simple misunderstanding. Of course, he had declared he would conquer the tower, but that had only been a show to divert public attention. Even though he had been desperately trying to explain the truth, Mirien would not listen. No—more accurately, she could not hear.

"…Blessing of the Radiant Thunder."

He saw the black lightning coursing through Mirien's body. It was the same buff skill she had used on the storm dragon Tempest during the Ilsan nest subjugation operation. As he had seen before, its effect was an explosive increase in stats. However, the penalty was equally severe. Berserk. In other words, Mirien was currently in a state of lost sanity, just like during the storm dragon subjugation battle.

"…Ha."

Why was there not a single normal person around him? Was the problem that he was demanding common sense from calamities who had destroyed entire worlds?

Eventually, Selene's crimson flames and Mirien's jet-black lightning collided. An enormous shockwave erupted. Even from a distance, his feet lifted off the ground. He was sent flying helplessly and rolled across the floor…

Thud!

"Ugh!"

His head slammed into one of the tower's pillars, and he lost consciousness.

*

The first thing he felt upon regaining consciousness was intense pain. Next came a burning sensation.

"…Huu."

Enduring the sharp pain shooting through the back of his head, he lifted his gaze. His entire body felt hot. It was no illusion. A woman with ash-gray hair wreathed in flames stood before his eyes.

"Selene?"

"Yes. Your loyal vassal, Selene. Are you all right, My Lord?"

"I'm… not too bad."

At his words, Selene let out a sigh of relief. It seemed she had been watching over him the entire time. Straightening his posture, he asked,

"What happened?"

"As you saw earlier, there was a minor clash with Mirien."

"Don't tell me you killed her?"

"I was unable to. This is that magic sack's domain; it proved rather difficult. Still, I did not lose."

Selene deliberately emphasized the last sentence. He had to acknowledge her competitive spirit, at least. Rubbing the back of his head, he examined Selene's condition. Then he frowned.

"Uh… you're sure you're okay?"

"I am fine."

Selene nodded as if it were nothing. But he noticed that her nun's habit was even more tattered than before. Not only that—he realized there were lightning-shaped scars etched into various parts of her body, deeper than burns.

"No, you don't look fine at all. You should recover. Let's head back to the base first…"

"No, My Lord."

Selene cut him off. It was the first time she had interrupted him.

"…As you worry, My Lord, my current condition is not particularly good. However, it is still better compared to the situation outside."

"The situation outside?"

Selene took a step aside. Thanks to that, the view of the tower's top floor came into sight. Black scorch marks and lightning-shaped traces were everywhere. But what caught his eye even more was the scenery beyond the tower.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

Dark clouds had gathered across all of Seoul, pouring down torrential rain. Only then did his gaze shift to the status window that had appeared before his eyes.

"…We're screwed."

"Precisely as you say."

Selene gave a bitter smile.