Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Episode 27. The Lights Go Out (AS)
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‘Make your command, my liege.’
Open the door.
‘Loyalty to the sovereign.’
The rift in the destroyed ballroom reopened.
Lair's year-end event, ‘Melishia's Ballroom’, had come to a close.
The raid party was plunged into no small shock.
The rift had been destroyed for unknown reasons. And another rift had appeared in its place. They knew that the original rift or dungeon numbers didn't match up, but it was different when it gripped and shook their lifelines.
The questioning Lair side deployed a search team for post-operation cleanup.
“Team leader. They say they found something at Room 39, Point B24. What they found was... Huh?”
“......”
“A corpse hanging in midair!”
“Got it.”
“Ah, th-that, Professor Wei Lian from Azure Dragon House...”
“I said got it, man. Let's just wrap it up roughly and go.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Orders from above.”
The team leader was well aware that they were just a show for the media.
Despite the lingering unease, they didn't make a big deal of it. With the boss dead, the dungeon would close in a few days. Along with the truth.
Having received Minamoto's report, Lair repackaged the raid differently.
The raid party had halted operations the moment the rift malfunctioned. And followed ‘standard emergency protocols.’
Casualties among cadets, guardians, and Lair personnel were minimal. Lair wanted to publicize its ‘superior emergency response system’ through the media rather than obsess over an ‘unknown catastrophe.’
It was an era accustomed to natural disasters. Once the articles framed it that way, people lost interest in the emergency itself.
“AT Team held accountable for unauthorized artifact use and profiting during pre-exploration...”
Lair chopped off the heads of a few harsh officials, citing failure to properly explore the dungeon.
“This massive rift, the size of a building, suddenly started collapsing...!”
The raid members, who had simply stayed quiet, were treated like heroic reformers.
“Whoa. We almost had a real disaster.”
“Seriously lucky...”
The world watching Lair was merely grateful that its nation's young superhumans hadn't died or been injured.
What had happened inside remained unknown.
And so, the ballroom's lights went out.
At that moment. On the airship, ‘Guardian.’
“......”
Having shed the woman's guise, Archduke's Shadow (SS) sat on the deck, gazing down at the world. The wind was chilly.
He had ordered espresso long ago, but due to Yoo Ji-tae issuing various cleanup orders, he could only drink it now.
Slurp.
The coffee had soured over time.
‘......’
Wei Lian was dead.
Invisibility's plan had gone awry.
‘Collapse-grade’ Izel Halifa's forces had been halved.
‘Disaster-grade’ Noah was dead.
In numerical terms, it was like 20% of Invisibility's combat power had vanished. Inflicting such damage on the scattered demonkin was nearly impossible otherwise.
The necessary deed at the right time had finally concluded.
Melishia's Ballroom would likely be a turning point in the 7th cycle. How would Invisibility, rooted and parasitic in Lair, respond? And how would the demonkin move from this incident? The clone, sharing part of Yoo Ji-tae's memories, sketched a rough picture in its mind.
The demonkin knew how to bide their time.
In crude terms, they had ironclad patience.
So, things would be quiet for a while.
‘......’
To ensure that, he needed to move even busier.
The ‘clone’ downed the coffee and stood.
Someone he needed to meet.
Among the seriously injured was a middle-aged man in sunglasses.
He received various treatments from military doctors and healers in a private room. His face hidden by an infantry mask led the doctor to nag about cutting back on drinking. BM ignored it, of course. He had to drink. Three of his 13 operated chimeras had died. The rest were in poor shape too.
‘Nearly bit the dust.’
He hadn't heard details, but Yoo Ji-tae had probably killed Noah.
BM's feelings were complicated. For various reasons.
The destroyed chimeras were made in Arandot. With few memories left there gone, his heart wasn't at ease.
Losing combat power was a huge blow too.
The No. 2 ranking required power befitting No. 2.
‘Knew a day like this would come...’
He hadn't thought he'd hold the spot forever, but it was bitter. The number ‘2’ representing him was his sole pride.
Thoughts of Yoo Ji-tae muddled his mind too. The man who brought Arandot liquor. Stronger than anyone despite never showing publicly. His absurd words had become reality. And he tied it off personally.
‘All those judgments were personal. His actions too.’
An individual's influence shaking the world, not social systems.
A terribly dangerous situation.
He entertained a frightening thought. What if Yoo Ji-tae turned his blade on humanity?
‘......’
Of course, BM didn't think so. His observed actions were pro-humanity.
However.
If someone else learned the same facts, they could harbor such doubts.
Humanity's fate in one person's hands? Opinions would divide. The masses would view negatively. The world cynically.
They'd try exploiting his power somehow. Beg for assurance. Rebel. Just imagining tired him.
‘Damn it.’
Yoo Ji-tae's existence mustn't be revealed. So, what should he, the only one currently connected, do?
As BM pondered uninvited worries.
Knock knock.
The private room door opened, and Yoo Ji-tae entered.
“Ah... Come in.”
“You okay?”
“Eh, tough as nails. How about you? No injuries?”
Yoo Ji-tae nodded and pulled a small weapon from his pocket, offering it to BM.
“This is...”
BM's eyes widened.
A mana gun glistening blue. The mana inside felt heavy. A top-tier Level 3 artifact firearm, and Wei Lian's gift from Invisibility.
Peace Bringer
BM fiddled with the gun in a daze.
“Why give this to me?”
To prevent loss of a ranker's combat power, per Yoo Ji-tae's orders.
“Gotta protect it. Your ranking.”
After chatting with BM, the clone moved again. Next up: Minamoto.
A fragrance wafted.
Calming the mind. Soothing the chest. Something warm and soft seeped into her body. The old woman savored the feeling after so long.
“......”
Opening her eyes slowly, there was a beautiful girl. Grass-green eyes sparkling in sunlight. Like an angel from childhood dreams, the old woman stared blankly at her face.
Then, she snapped to.
“I'm fine.”
Ri Hwa suddenly sat up.
Bom, treating her, widened her eyes. Ri Hwa's body was a wreck. Mana overuse backlash had damaged her internals.
“You can't get up.”
“I said I'm fine. I know my body.”
Bones shattered everywhere. Significant internal bleeding. Breathing should hurt, yet she rose naturally and walked somewhere.
It was near Lake of Life. Where Yoo Ji-tae and the dragons had traveled and met Myeong Yong-ha before.
“Pretty lake.”
Ri Hwa shuffled to the lake, knelt. Her hunched form made her tiny body tinier.
“That guy wasn't Izel Halifa, was he?”
“Yes... Probably a puppet.”
“I see... Ah, when that thing exploded, thought I was done for.”
“......”
“Thank you. Truly.”
“Glad you're safe.”
At that moment.
Bom had cast Teleport just in time. If she hadn't sensed Izel Halifa's oddity, it'd have been too late.
“...Did I fight well?”
“Pardon?”
“Too fired up, memories fuzzy...”
“Hmm...”
Ri Hwa shared ballroom events with Bom. Mostly what Bom had seen.
The old woman listened quietly.
Bom said cautiously.
“I'd be mad.”
“Hm?”
“Waited so long for this day, only to learn it's fake right before.”
The old woman shook her head. Then chuckled softly.
“I'm used to waiting.”
Soon, a presence at Lake of Life.
“Ah, ajusshi.”
Yoo Ji-tae came for Bom.
“Good work, Ri Hwa.”
“You too, young man. Tough job.”
As Bom followed Yoo Ji-tae, she glanced back briefly.
The old woman stared blankly at the lake.
She didn't move for a long while.
Residential district. Heading home.
Two days since leaving home. But for Yoo Ji-tae, lost in Noah's dream, it felt like months.
Cadets in thick clothes against the chill. Sky closer than on ground. And Bom sticking right by his side.
The dorm building loomed ahead.
There, Yoo Ji-tae stopped and turned to Bom. Peering into her.
Dragon Heart empty, signs of forced mana squeeze. Ri Hwa survived; clone found Aerial Flower Garden 141 obliterated by massive explosion.
Obvious what Bom did. Squeezed mana to help Ri Hwa.
“Ajusshi.”
“Yeah.”
“Staring openly is kinda...”
“Huh?”
Only then did he realize his gaze on her chest.
“......”
Lifting his head, Bom smiled.
She knew what he was looking at, teasing anyway.
But Yoo Ji-tae didn't engage. Something to address squarely.
“Bom.”
“Yes.”
“Why push yourself.”
“Me?”
“You did. I can tell.”
“Just tried hard.”
“Told you to bail if things went south.”
“Huh?”
She knew her mistake, answering cheekily.
Annoyed, Yoo Ji-tae pinched her cheek.
“Ow...”
“Shouldn't have acted risky.”
“But it wasn't risky...”
“Was risky. Even if you didn't get hurt.”
“But...”
“Can't take you places if you don't listen. Whether you help or not is separate.”
“Ung, hurts...”
Pained but didn't pull away. Just puppy eyes.
She had her reasons. Her personality wanting to save people, maybe.
“I keep saying. You can't die. Can't get hurt. If you get even a scratch, I'll really get mad. You know what I mean. So be safer from now on. Much safer.”
“......”
“Got it?”
“......”
Bom glared reproachfully with teary eyes, then nodded slowly.
Only then did he release. Bom rubbed her red cheek.
“Let's go.”
“No? Wait.”
Now Bom blocked him.
Resolute expression looking up. Red cheeks ruined it.
“Did ajusshi kill the demonkin as cleanly as possible?”
He thought briefly. Before killing demonkin, suppressed urges a few times. Wei Lian's corpse intact, at least.
Did his best.
“Yeah.”
“Didn't kill enemies you didn't have to?”
“Yeah.”
“Saved the innocent?”
Failed that.
“...Yeah.”
“Liar.”
“Forgot.”
Bom pinched both his cheeks.
Thin wrists bulging, full force. Didn't hurt at all.
“......”
“......”
“......”
“...Doesn't hurt?”
“Nah.”
“I'm the only one losing out...”
Brat.
As he walked, Bom followed.
Now, time to go home.
Room 301.
Opening the dorm door.
Familiar shoe rack. Familiar lavender scent. Familiar dorm sights.
“Huh? Ajusshi?!”
Yeoreum, Gaeul, and Winter jumped in surprise, greeting Yoo Ji-tae and Bom.
“What what what! Why go without a word! Where were you? With just Bom unni too?! What? I love it!”
Gaeul glared, grilling Yoo Ji-tae.
“Said I had work.”
“Yeah. Thought you'd be back in hours! Bom unni left without saying too!”
“Did I? Sorry.”
Bom hugged Gaeul. But the angry chick flailed, pointing at Yoo Ji-tae.
“What'd you do! Wandering outside! What! What what!”
Above the chick's head, a real chick flapped wings, pointing at Yoo Ji-tae. ‘Do you know how long my guardian waited?’ It peeped.
Yeoreum smirked slyly.
“Look at these...”
“Hm?”
“Overnight with a girl?”
“Not like that, Yeoreum.”
“Had fun? Why's your cheek red. That your taste?”
“No?”
“What do you know. What taste?”
“...Dunno?”
As Bom squirmed, Yeoreum grinned.
“Next time, three of us.”
“What're you...”
Meanwhile, Winter's neglected gaze. Worried eyes on Yoo Ji-tae.
As he approached, she reached out familiarly.
Winter nestled in his arms, carefully parting his chest clothing. Eyeing him real-time.
“What.”
“......”
The necklace hung fine on his chest.
Did she know. In Noah's dream. Months in an apocalyptic world.
He'd often check her necklace when missing home.
Confirming it, her expression eased a bit. Not fully relieved. Looking up quietly.
“...Something, happen?”
Why was that.
He finally felt home.
“...Hm? Happen?”
“No, nothing.”
Only then did her face fully relax.
Yoo Ji-tae smiled faintly.
“Were you good?”