212
I killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.
Chapter 212
Raum's staff pointed at Gloria again.
"Kneel down now, Caesar ."
Raum's voice became thin and cunning like a snake.
"Ah, perhaps your pride won't allow it? Poor Gloria. It seems your master's pride is more precious than your life."
"Tatiana."
Raum held back a sneer.
"Ah, Are you perhaps trying to ask Tatiana for help? You seem to think you're the only one who made such a request, but all those puppets you killed also begged Tatiana like that. Please spare their lives."
Raum stroked Tatiana's head.
"But Tatiana submitted to me. Even the knight with the strongest willpower in the world cannot help but despair. So I'd prefer if you didn't have any foolish thoughts about persuading Tatiana."
Raum was right.
Tatiana had submitted to Raum.
Then how was that possible?
Flawless is a sacred object that maintains its owner's sound mind no matter what happens.
Was it because she lost Flawless?
No.
The long pure white sword shaped like a crescent moon at her side is Flawless.
And unless the baptized person directly transfers ownership, Flawless maintains the baptized person's sound mind even if it's separated from their body.
Then how was Raum able to brainwash Tatiana's mind and make her obey his commands?
Caesar knew the answer very well.
"Your younger sister died recently."
Twitch!
Tatiana's eyebrow moved.
When Tatiana started showing emotional changes, Raum became flustered.
"You...... Now......"
"Lebelia Prodinante, your sister was killed by the Royder Order. She didn't just die, but was continuously tortured and had her blood drawn for the past 20 years as a saint before dying."
Tatiana's hair shook and her blue eyes filled with clear killing intent.
Raum was flustered by Tatiana beginning to break free from his control.
But soon he maintained his composure and spoke.
"Right! The Royder Order killed your sister! Tatiana! Didn't I promise you?! That I would destroy the Royder Order! That I would help you get your revenge!"
Flawless has the ability to 'maintain a sound mind.'
Then what is the definition of a sound mind?
Is a sound mind simply not being consumed by madness?
Or is it always thinking rationally?
A sound mind refers to Tatiana's self itself.
The foundation that makes up everything Tatiana wants, feels, and thinks, and what the orders call the 'soul', the most fundamental of fundamentals that constitute Tatiana.
In other words, Flawless blocks all external attacks on everything Tatiana's self thinks and decides.
That's why no matter what torture or brainwashing attacks Raum used on Tatiana, he couldn't make her submit.
"The Royder Order deceived your sister! They deceived you and deceived your parents! Not only that, the Dre Order also deceived you. The Pope of the Dre Order must have known about the secret of the Holy Grail. Yet he never mentioned anything to you."
Tatiana's wavering eyes gradually became steady.
Raum began to feel relieved as Tatiana started following his control more and more.
"You were betrayed, Tatiana! The world deceived you! You said you wanted revenge on them! And I said I would help you with that revenge!"
But Tatiana's self collapsed at the horrific truth about her beloved sister.
-What...... Making potions with a saint's blood?
-Is that all? The saint feels all the pain of everyone who receives healing from holy water instead. That's why they live while receiving nearly lethal doses of strong sedatives.
-Don't lie, you devil.
-Don't believe me? Right, you wouldn't believe what a devil says.
Raum kidnapped retired White Tower priests and brought them to Tatiana to tell her the truth.
-I'm, I'm sorry, Tatiana.
-Is it true? Is that really true?
-I'm sorry. But, but thanks to Saint Lebelia's sacrifice, tens of thousands of people have their lives saved every year. That noble sacrifice...
-Did you properly explain that to Lebelia? That becoming a saint means being trapped in a container for life, suffering in terrible pain until death. Did you properly explain that?
-Well, that wasn't...
-Aaaaaaaahhh!
With Tatiana's anguished cry, Raum felt her self beginning to crumble.
In that brief moment, Flawless couldn't identify what Tatiana's self was, and Flawless defense mechanism also collapsed.
Taking advantage of that gap, Raum infiltrated Tatiana's mind and planted 'vengeance.'
A tear fell from Tatiana's eye.
"......Revenge."
"Yes! Revenge! Weren't you reborn in the flames of revenge?"
Raum's eyes filled with killing intent turned toward Caesar .
"So don't listen to that cunning fellow's voice..."
"I also hate the Royder Order, Tatiana."
"......Huh?"
Caesar slowly approached Tatiana.
"The white tower that imprisons the Saint must fall. The Holy Grail must also be destroyed."
"......Yes."
"The Royder Order must apologize to all the Saints who have died until now. Is that what you want too, Tatiana?"
"Yes."
"Then you and I are on the same side, Tatiana."
Tatiana seemed to contemplate for a moment, then nodded.
"......Yes."
Raum shouted angrily at this absurd situation.
"Tatiana! Come to your senses! Don't fall for his wicked sophistry!"
"But...... I must take revenge on the Royder Order."
"Damn it!"
Raum pressed his staff against Gloria's neck.
"Don't come any closer! Caesar ! Or I'll kill her!"
"Tatiana, that woman is on our side too."
Tatiana tilted her head.
"......On our side?"
"Yes. She's my disciple. She follows my will."
Tatiana's gaze turned to Gloria.
Tatiana saw her trembling eyebrows.
And she scanned everything from her blonde hair, to her nose, to her lips.
In Tatiana's eyes, someone else's image overlapped with this beautiful knight's face.
"Lebelia?"
Tatiana took a step back, moving away from Raum.
"Tatiana, what are you doing?"
"It's Lebelia. My...... Sister."
Tatiana's eyes were filled with tears that seemed ready to spill at any moment.
Tatiana wiped the blood flowing from Gloria's neck.
"My sister...... Why are you bleeding? Why does it hurt...? Who hurt you?"
"Tatiana! What are you saying? That's not your sister!"
"No, she's my sister. My sister has come back alive...!"
"Damn it!"
Raum swung his staff and commanded Tatiana's heart.
"That's not your sister! Come here right now!"
Tatiana's hands and feet began to move on their own, approaching Raum.
"No! I can't lose my little sister again."
The Flawless tucked at Tatiana's side began to emit a white light.
Then the purple magic flowing from the tip of Raum's staff was deflected.
"......What?"
Tatiana slung Gloria over her shoulder.
And she raised her left hand to draw out Flawless.
A pure light spread out as if the white moon had manifested on this earth.
"Don't try to take my sister away again."
"Damn it...!"
Whoosh!
Raum was startled by the axe flying toward him and blocked it with his staff.
But that was not the right choice at all.
Crackle!
"Arggghhhhhh!"
The terrible current that flowed through the staff burned Raum's entire body.
Caesar rushed in through that gap.
"Uriaaaaaaah!"
Berserker 5 stacks.
He charged in holding Lefty, with enough force to take the bastard's head off in one strike.
However, Raum's puppets that were standing by rushed in for physical defense against Caesar.
Caesar swung Lefty at the first puppet that charged at him.
Form 3 Wild Wind.
Hundreds of rough wind fragments flowed from Lefty and scattered in all directions.
The wind fragments turned the puppets into minced meat in an instant.
However, there were far too many of Raum's puppets.
It was like a wave made of puppets rushing in.
At that moment, Caesar's body was tinged with a green light and unprecedented strength flowed in.
It was Raven's one-man support magic.
Caesar swung Lefty again.
Then an incomparably heavier wind than before spread out in all directions.
It was strong enough that all the puppets surrounding Caesar flew away and fell like meteors throughout the valley.
"Raum!"
In the cleared view, only Raum and Caesar remained.
Caesar caught the Path of the Wind and flew straight at Raum.
He was so fast that afterwinds remained where Caesar passed.
"How dare you...!"
Raum raised his staff toward Caesar with bloodshot eyes.
"Die consumed in nightmares! Caesar !"
"Uaaaah!"
Caesar 's Lefty went in to crush Raum's head.
At the same time, purple magic from the tip of the golden staff dug into Caesar 's heart.
***
Caesar 's eyes flew open.
"...Where am I?"
Caesar looked around.
Familiar things filled his surroundings.
The only reason Caesar was confused was because he hadn't seen these things in such a long time.
Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!
The smartphone on Caesar 's desk rang frantically.
Caesar reached out and grabbed the smartphone.
The phone displayed 'Department Head'.
His thumb lost its way on the unfamiliar sensation of the smooth screen he hadn't touched in so long.
Caesar carefully pressed the call button.
"...Yes, Department Head."
-What time do you think it is and you're still not here?! Are you not coming to work today?
"Pardon?"
-Just get over here!
After the call abruptly ended, Caesar finally had time to look around.
The soft sofa, sleek TV, plush rug, and beer cans messily placed on the table, along with snacks.
Everything was so unfamiliar that he felt dazed.
Then, Caesar's face appeared on the sleek TV screen.
"This is..."
Caesar stared at his face.
This isn't Caesar's face.
This is Choi Seo-han's face.
Seo-han racked his brain.
How did this happen?
He was certainly heading towards Raum to save Gloria... And then...
Then, Seo-han's eyes caught sight of the gaming console placed in the corner of the sofa.
Seo-han carefully picked up the gaming console.
As he touched the console familiarly, the game 'Valent Saga' that Seo-han used to play turned on.
On the Valent Saga game screen were a foggy valley and Raum's puppets, along with a red-haired man wielding axes in both hands.
-Arghhhhhh!
As the puppets rushed in, Seo-han operated the console.
He killed the puppets by dodging their attacks and pressing the attack button with familiarity.
Seo-han used a skill.
Single Wind.
As a gust of wind swept past, the puppets collapsed like trees being felled.
Seo-han continued to defeat the incoming puppets.
It felt somewhat satisfying, like playing a hack and slash game.
"Ah, this isn't the time for this."
Seo-han needs to go to work now.
If he goes now, he'll get scolded badly by the Department Head, but if he buys the Dutch coffee that the Department Head likes, his mood might soften a bit.
But... Something feels like it's missing.
Seo-han looked at his gaming console.
All the puppets were dead, and Raven was following Caesar around saying something.
-Hey! Snap out of it?!
-Caesar ! You idiot! Wake up already!
Was Raven originally someone who spoke like this?
Raven is an extremely noble character.
In the Demon King's castle where you can meet Raven, she only gives simple and clear answers and doesn't express any emotions.
Even if you invite Raven to a temporary party and proceed with the game, she doesn't engage in conversation beyond what's necessary.
She should be such an emotionless character...
-What were you thinking charging at Raum?!
-Didn't you charge in knowing how to overcome Raum's brainwashing magic?!
-Instead of staying still here, you should hurry and go save Gloria!
Gloria...
That's a game character's name.
But why do I...
Seo-han looked around again.
This is Seo-han's very familiar house.
But looking closely, something seems off.
"...This isn't the right table color."
The table Seo-han bought wasn't white but brown.
Then the table changed to brown.
Seo-han looked at the beer cans placed on the table.
"I don't drink this beer."
Seo-han usually drinks lager beer.
But what was placed on the table was ale beer.
The beer cans on the table changed to lager beer.
"I see. This is a dream. A nightmare at that."
The reason Seo-han didn't feel comfortable with these familiar scenes and felt a constricting pressure in his chest is simple.
Seo-han worked desperately to live in the damn Valent Saga world.
The thought of all that effort becoming worthless...
No, the thought of losing all the relationships formed in that world... Was too sad.
It was painful enough to feel like his insides were being torn apart.
Seo-han looked down at the gaming console.
-Caesar ...! No, you bastard Barre! Wake up right now!
Raven is crying.
Seo-han stroked the Raven on the game console screen.
Then Caesar also stroked Raven's hair.
"Sorry, I'll be there soon."
Seo-han put down the gaming console and headed to the window.
When he opened the window, a cool breeze swept through his hair.
Standing by the window makes his heart pound frantically.
While living as Caesar, this height was nothing, but in Seo-han's body, it makes all his hair stand on end.
The only way to escape a nightmare is to acknowledge that this world is a nightmare.
Simply knowing something and acknowledging it have different depths.
When you acknowledge something, it deeply penetrates your life's domain, but merely knowing something only skims the surface of life.
So to break this nightmare, he needs to accept this false world into his life's domain and then throw it away and destroy it.
Seo-han took a deep breath.
The clear air penetrated his lungs.
"Right. Seoul's air couldn't possibly be this clean."
Seo-han leaped with all his might.