Chapter 46
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Princess's Resolve
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Damp, wet walls and a floor shallowly pooled with water. In the center, someone was leaning against an unharvested stone. Even without looking closely, I knew who it was.
Tousled turquoise hair. A starkly pale, noble face that contrasted with the darkness.
Drip. The sound of water falling from the ceiling filled the space.
“…Looks like this is the key after all.”
“Huh? How can a person be a key…? Whoa! It’s light!”
Im Ha-neul chimed in but then darted off somewhere else. If he said there was light…
I immediately looked toward where Im Ha-neul was heading. Focusing a bit, I spotted purple smoke wavering in my vision. The moment I saw it, I whispered to Park Woo-yun.
“Park Woo-yun Hunter.”
“There’s light… Huh?”
“If the purple smoke tries to escape through the entrance, use your ability to catch and devour it.”
“Yeees… There’s light over here.”
…He can do it. If he fails, oh well, but since this seemed like the source of the illusions, it’d be best to uproot it. If Park Woo-yun couldn’t control it well, Yun Sia would handle it.
Swish. I spun my scythe. Then I kicked off the ground and swung it toward the smoke. Laughter burrowed into my ears again as it passed by me toward the entrance.
―Kihihi! Plump plump plump!
So those thumping sounds were their doing.
“Park Woo-yun Hunter!”
At my shout, Park Woo-yun flinched in surprise and unleashed his ability blindly. Black liquid surged up massively, blocking the entrance. It then poured down toward the rapidly approaching monster.
But maybe it was too slow. The monster cackled as it dodged the black liquid.
That didn’t last. The liquid erupted in all directions, engulfing the smoke in one go. From the way Yun Sia flicked her hand slightly, it was probably her work.
―Kiaaaak!
The monster let out a scream straight out of a horror movie. At the same moment, screams from Im Ha-neul and Park Woo-yun pierced my ears. They collapsed with a thud.
‘Mental attack?’
That wasn’t all. Even the princess, who had been sleeping like the dead against the stone, clutched her body and screamed.
Park Woo-yun’s attack seemed to lose direction, sloshing around aimlessly. At the sight, I shouted immediately.
“Yun Sia Hunter!”
“Yes yes!”
Yun Sia moved her hands like a conductor, manipulating the black liquid. It churned and gathered into a sphere, then whoosh, rose like whipped cream. Finally, boom! It caved in from the center, rippling as it compressed.
―Kwek, eh. Ek.
Pssh, the purple smoke scattered into the air and vanished.
‘Why don’t the monsters here drop items?’
At any rate, no more monsters visible, so that was a relief. The princess had probably been lost in illusions. With the monster dead, she’d wake up soon.
‘Gotta take care of the others first.’
While helping Park Woo-yun and Im Ha-neul to their feet, the turquoise hair twitched. Then the princess’s eyes slowly opened, revealing turquoise irises that now seemed to glow faintly, unlike before.
As I kept staring, she raised her arm and stared at her hand as if confirming something. Then she snapped her head up and looked at me.
Caught off guard by her sudden gaze, I asked awkwardly.
“Uh, um. You okay?”
“…….”
“Do you know her?”
Im Ha-neul asked cautiously. Park Woo-yun whispered an explanation from beside him.
“…You.”
The princess pressed her hand against the splashing floor, her nails scraping the stone.
“Why…….”
“Why am I here? Well, you see—”
“Why did you only show up now?”
“…Huh?”
Splash, tears fell from the princess’s eyes one by one. As I wondered what the hell was going on, Yun Sia whispered from behind.
“She’s crying.”
“…She’s crying?”
“No, she isn’t.”
What the hell are these people saying?
I sighed and looked at the princess. It seemed something had happened, so I’d have to play along for now.
“…There were circumstances.”
“Circumstances. Right, circumstances.”
“So, what happened?”
“…….”
The princess bit her lip. As her nails scraped the stone floor further, a small flower bloomed in the gouged spot. Looking up, she said.
“They’re all dead. The empire, the kingdom—none exist anymore. Even the kingdom’s relic hairpin is shattered. The surface is no longer ours.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The empire… worshipped something strange. Created something they couldn’t handle. Now, everything’s over.”
Like she’d lost the will to live, the princess leaned back against the stone, staring blankly into space. Tears fell onto the wet floor.
“It’s… all over.”
“So?”
At my apathetic response, the princess lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with murderous intent.
“Are you mocking me right now?”
“Not what I meant.”
“Then what?”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.”
She paused at my words, then let out a hollow laugh.
“No. I can’t. There’s nothing left to reclaim.”
“Nothing at all?”
“…Right.”
“Then it’s even easier.”
“What?”
The air grew heavy in an instant. Then, in this space hostile to plant growth, a flower pushed through the floor with a crackle.
“What nonsense have you been spouting?”
“Nonsense? I meant it’s easy to get revenge when you have nothing to lose.”
“…….”
The flower wilted and sank into the ground.
“I’ll help you.”
“…….”
“Don’t give up.”
I spoke without any emotion. It might seem foolish at a glance, but right now, a sincere expression was best. The princess had already fallen off the cliff.
‘Comforting her emotionally might make her give up instead.’
By the way, doesn’t the tower lord have any creativity? Why keep recycling the same thing?
‘Whether treasure or key, making it the same thing—thought it’d be tricky, huh.’
I glanced at the princess. With her head bowed and silent, she probably needed some time too.
“Then think about it. Is just sitting there really the right choice?”
After that, I led the others out.
“Is it okay to leave her like that?”
“Dunno. If she doesn’t come out after some time, we just go.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say she was the key?”
“More like a candidate.”
Im Ha-neul looked utterly confused.
“We’re just chatting anyway. Wait 30 minutes, and if she doesn’t show, we move on.”
“Hmm… Is it okay to waste time like that?”
“…Who knows. No other options right now.”
“We won’t have business here after clearing this floor anyway, so why not just drag her along?”
Honestly, I agreed. With the princess here, she was basically the key. Calling her a candidate was just to ease minds.
But what about the first floor? If she hadn’t teleported, we’d never have reached the basement. High chance this floor was the same. The main goal of this game seemed to be getting her to move herself.
‘…That escape route was swarming with monsters.’
And she said the empire created something they couldn’t handle.
‘So, a monster was born, like a birth legend story?’
The tower lord called us heroes and himself the demon king, so this was probably a hero vs. demon king story too. Of course, the hero was the princess.
‘Confusing.’
Why not just stick to the usual bloody game? Why shove in a story like this? Maybe like my brother said, it’s his own tale? Face matches, so possible.
“…….”
Maybe I should stay alert.
♧♣♧
Drip. Water fell from the ceiling, splashing against the pooled floor.
‘…How much time has passed?’
This was the underground—no, deeper than that. My people had hidden only me here to save my life. I was supposed to save them.
「Princess, you are our last hope. Thank you for everything.」
I hugged my knees. Then I murmured softly.
“…Liona, Senya, Ar, Guhyang, Cheonbi, and Theo, Alia, and…….”
Calling the names of those already gone made flowers of all kinds bloom on the stone floor, as if answering my call.
“And…….”
Tears welled up, cutting off my words.
I’d lost hundreds. What was I doing here? All this time, to reclaim the kingdom and see its people smiling again…
“I endured this long.”
No one left to smile for. With them gone, I lost my smile too. The kingdom of blooming flowers was gone. Peaceful home, family, friends, my responsibilities—all gone.
“…Azelle.”
―Kiuuu……
Plop. A small spirit of white and pink popped out. Sensing its master’s sorrow, it wore a sad face and let out a sad voice.
“Why, why am I still alive?”
―Kiu, kiuuu.
“I’m a coward who hid behind my people as shields—do I even deserve to live?”
―…Kiu.
Truth be told, after the kingdom fell to the empire, the princess ceased to exist. Only ‘Damhwa’ survived, lingered. After defeat, I’d lost the right to be princess. Lost my people, their homes, their places.
Maybe it was my selfishness. Refusing to accept it to the end, clinging to the hollow title of ‘princess’—my selfishness killed them all. What good was reclaiming sealed power? If I couldn’t win. What good was great strength? With all my people gone. Strength alone…
「Nonsense. I meant it’s easy to get revenge when you have nothing to lose.」
“…….”
Pfft, a laugh escaped. How broken was I to think such a thing?
‘…Revenge, huh.’
From the start, I never even considered revenge. Wars between nations were natural; losing meant being taken was natural. Yes, all of it was the natural order. It was just that my remaining people wanted it. So…
“…….”
―Kyauuu?
From the moment the kingdom fell to the empire, they were no longer my people. So why…
‘Why do I think “because my people wanted it”?’
From the moment Princess Damhwa became plain Damhwa, my people ceased to exist. So why did I cling to the princess title, lead them, try to reclaim the kingdom?
“…….”
No answer came.
Or maybe, I already knew it.
I pressed my hand to the splashing floor and staggered to my feet. I trudged forward, crushing the flowers blooming on the stone.
‘Why did you save me—me, no longer princess or anything, who pushed you into the pit of death?’
I’d been called clever since childhood. But now, I couldn’t find the answer.
‘Why me?’
And why did I…?
Creak, the stiff stone door scraped open. Beyond the wide-open door stood the man I’d met before. He’d vanished in an instant, identity unknown, but why? Why did that make him more trustworthy?
The people beyond the door looked at me. I opened my mouth. So many questions. But now…
“Why, why didn’t I accept the natural order and keep fighting to destroy the empire all this time?”
The man smiled brightly and replied.
“Because you wanted revenge. Against those who took everything.”
“…….”
It had been a long deliberation. Did I deserve to stand before those people, solely because I was the kingdom’s last princess, to reclaim smiles and happiness?
But no. I felt the same as they did. Their smiles made me smile; their happiness was mine.
That’s why I wanted it back. For you who placed me ahead just for the name ‘princess,’ for you who supported me from behind, for you who are no more—I, the last one left, will take up the sword.
As Damhwa, not the princess, I will defy this natural order.