126. Queen of the Dead (3)
"Hold on, Illyana. There's one thing we need to take care of first."
"...What is it? Spit it out."
Illyana didn't seem pleased by Eunhyeon's interruption and urged him for an answer.
Rather than Eunhyeon, it was Riod who responded to her prodding.
"We need to take the villagers with us. At the very least, until relief efforts are complete, we should accept them as refugees."
"What? Oh, right. Got it."
Just before the battle erupted, the villagers had already been evacuated, so there were no casualties. But with the massive ancient dragon's corpse crashing down from the sky, the buildings in the small village were completely demolished.
To make matters worse, the aftermath of the magical beasts' rampage had ruined their crops. For the villagers, it was as if they'd suddenly lost their homes and their food supply—a dire situation indeed.
Illyana nodded as if she understood.
"How many villagers are there?"
"Around forty."
"Think you can manage it with the mana you have left?"
"It'll be tight. Let's take them all at once."
"Lady Elenoa, could you step in and persuade the villagers?"
"Me...?"
"Yes. As a priestess, you'll have an easier time earning their trust. If you could use a prayer of recovery on them while you're at it, we can help lower their guards."
"Simple recovery spells are no problem."
"Excellent. Let's move out right away. And Lady Elenoa—I'm sure you know this already, but everything about Media is classified. Officially, we'll say we just took down a necromancer."
"...Why? Are we just going to let a lunatic like that roam free?"
"Knowing about her won't let anyone do a damn thing. She's the madwoman who single-handedly wiped out an entire kingdom three hundred years ago."
"...How did someone like that vanish from history without a trace?"
"I erased her. Every last remnant of her necromancy and her existence. As if the 'Queen of the Dead' never existed in the first place. Back then, I thought it was the best option."
Eunhyeon couldn't bear even the slightest chance that someone might dig into historical records, learn of Media's existence, study necromancy, and birth a second coming of her.
That's why he'd obliterated every clue about necromancy, ensuring such a calamity would never plague the continent again.
Just imagining Media's disaster returning sent shivers down Eunhyeon's spine.
Part of it stemmed from her obsession with him, but what terrified him most was her ability to turn the humans he'd killed into her loyal undead legion.
In Media's necromancy, distinctions between humans and beasts meant nothing. All souls subjugated by her became utterly devoted servants, kneeling before their queen.
It was obedience etched into their very souls by instinctual decree.
"But... for her to come back to life herself... Damn it, I should have seen it coming..."
The fact that he'd unwittingly aided her resurrection—and that she'd confirmed his "love" for her, beaming with joy as she set her sights on him once more—drove Eunhyeon to the brink of madness.
"I-it's not your fault..."
"Yeah, it's not on you. Don't beat yourself up. It doesn't suit you."
Eunhyeon, who always projected unshakable confidence, laying traps in every scenario to avoid getting blindsided—and dishing them out himself—was now trembling, unable to maintain his composure.
[Ah, my child. It's alright now. Am I not here with you?]
'Goddess... I was just about to ask you for a favor.'
[You're talking about that alchemist who conjured the gate? I'll head to the divine realm soon and look into it.]
'She probably... didn't die, did she?'
[Likely not.]
Eunhyeon had instinctively recognized Renat as one of his own kind.
That's why he'd decapitated her, stabbed her heart, and mangled her limbs—every trick to make resurrection as difficult as possible.
Because there was always a chance she could come back.
Having died and returned himself, it was a reasonable suspicion.
The massive gate Renat had created to summon the ancient dragon's corpse wasn't ordinary magic. With Eunhyeon's suspicions confirmed by Verdandi's certainty, it was a divine authority akin to the powers bestowed by his goddesses.
That raised the burning question: who had chosen her as an Apostle and granted such power?
And lurking behind Renat was her partner, Marius—and the mad stalker Media, who'd taught him necromancy. It gnawed at Eunhyeon.
'Media might even be able to resurrect that guy Marius's soul.'
The possibility was all too real.
[I'll investigate those necromancer and alchemist in the divine realm. You focus on cleaning up here, child.]
'Whew... Understood.'
Eunhyeon gave a small nod and turned to Riod and Elenoa.
"Alright, let's go."
"Right."
"Yes."
Convincing the villagers went surprisingly smoothly.
Riod and Elenoa bore the status of Pernias Kingdom nobles, and Elenoa's holy magic treatments gradually eased their suspicions.
Plus, from the outside, it looked like Eunhyeon's group had slain the colossal ancient dragon, saving the villagers—they appeared as great benefactors.
After much deliberation, the village chief accepted the two nobles' promises of refugee processing and aid for rebuilding, then requested they take the villagers into the kingdom.
The villagers agreed to follow Riod for refugee registration, while Elenoa said she'd report to her father Abros and take some rest.
"We'll keep Erin with us until tonight."
Eunhyeon and Illyana both caught Riod's courteous intent.
Unlike Eunhyeon's wry smile, Illyana grumbled about the unnecessary meddling, grabbed his arm, and they walked off together as the party dispersed.
The evening glow blazed brightly as the capital's bustle began to fade.
In the dimming night, street stalls lost their crowds and energy, leaving the square deserted. Eunhyeon and Illyana strolled hand in hand.
"You okay?"
"With what?"
"Your mood. Honestly, even I felt grossed out. But you had to endure that psycho's obsession firsthand."
"No way I'm okay. But I had to act like I was."
"Hmm... Thirty years, you said? Fighting that woman."
"Yeah."
"...That's a long time."
Illyana murmured softly at Eunhyeon's calm nod.
In this world, thirty years was enough for a young man to spend his life on the battlefield and retire as an old soldier.
It meant Eunhyeon had devoted his existence to containing the disaster named Media.
Forming bonds, watching them die, surviving alone to continue the life-or-death struggle against calamity—Illyana couldn't fathom it.
"Don't you have something to tell me?"
"......"
"The witch's bloodline. Elysia. Who is she?"
- You're Elysia's daughter? No, the age gap's too big for that. Grandchild?
- Heh, Hyun is truly beloved by witches.
Illyana recalled Media's words to her.
And Eunhyeon clearly knew the 'Elysia' she'd mentioned.
She had no choice but to ask him.
"Thinking back, I felt something off from the moment we met. You knew all about my traits, offered training and lessons perfectly tailored to me—like you'd been waiting, prepared for me all along."
"I wasn't certain. But you resemble Elysia so much. I recognized your witch traits after seeing your magic. That's when I suspected you might be a descendant she left behind. If Media stated it outright, then yes—you truly are Elysia's blood."
"...What makes that lunatic so sure?"
"Media was a witch too."
"What...?"
"More precisely, she used to be. Now she's transcended humanity, little more than a monster."
"...Explain in detail."
"You know witches are born with far greater mana than ordinary humans?"
"Yeah."
"Media delved into black magic with hers, choosing the vilest of them: necromancy. She refined it bit by bit, devising ways to kill humans, absorb their souls and mana, and grow her power."
It was raw survival of the fittest—devouring others' lives to bolster her own.
"What drove her to black magic? Revenge."
"Revenge?"
"A kingdom grew greedy for witches' power. They started capturing them, raping them, forcing pregnancies to see if the offspring inherited witch traits—creating superhumans. Insane experiments."
"...Witches are strong. They didn't fight back?"
"Back then, they believed they could coexist with humans. Foolish. And witches have strong kin bonds. That's how Media sensed Elysia's mana in you—one of those racial abilities. The kingdom exploited it: tricked and captured some as hostages, blackmailed the rest. Witches surrendered without a fight."
"...Fucking bastards."
"Media used her refined necromancy to annihilate that kingdom herself. But addicted to death qi, she stopped being human—became a monster, went mad."
"Shitty ending."
"Elysia was one of the survivors. My teacher, who taught me jewel magic."
"That expensive spell?"
It guzzled priceless gems per cast, but its power was unmatched.
"As Media's moniker 'Queen of the Dead' spread, other nations began persecuting witches too. Elysia didn't age, drawing envy and suspicion from villagers. Branded an evil witch, reported, she was seized by a kingdom's forces pushing witch hunts and executed."
"...Couldn't you save her?"
"I begged her to run with me. She refused, chose execution to buy me time to escape. She entrusted her late husband's child to me. Looking back, she probably let herself get caught to send the baby far away. I could have helped... but I couldn't."
He had to honor the goddesses' command: no rebelling against kingdom forces, no revealing himself.
He was to save the world, not Elysia.
Stand at the world's flow's center, alter it subtly—never interfere directly.
That was the goddesses' constraint on him.
A mission to save the world while failing those closest. Forge the world's flow without changing it, avert apocalypse.
Utterly contradictory, nonsensical.
Thus, Eunhyeon always made ruthless choices: sacrificing the few for the many. Elysia's fate was one such.
"I left her baby at an orphanage in a distant land, far from harsh witch hunts, then moved on. Raising it wasn't my role."
He'd abandoned the child Elysia trusted him with.
Making that cold, heartless call filled him with guilt. Recalling Elysia, he'd shed tears.
Ultimately, he deposited the infant and waged war against Media's undead horde.
Media—who'd toppled a kingdom and swelled her legions—was disaster incarnate.
To contain her directly, Eunhyeon clashed with her armies. Their war raged thirty years.
In brutal exchanges chipping away at each other's lives, survivors were always just Eunhyeon and Media.
She massacred indiscriminately, building her army. He burned himself out stopping her.
Eventually, smitten with "love" for him, she slaughtered more to draw his attention, advertising her presence.
A vicious cycle.
"Hilarious, right? In the end, I helped the kingdom and humans who captured and executed her."
Did Elysia curse him from the afterlife?
Eunhyeon would never know.
"So it's weird and complicated that Elysia's child I abandoned had kids, and one descendant ended up tied to me."
"...You took me in, taught me, out of guilt and responsibility."
"Illyana, let me say this upfront: I didn't propose out of those feelings."
"I know. I know you well. At least now, you don't treat me just with pity, guilt, or duty."
Their bond had blossomed into lovers, sharing intimacy and daily life, laced with clear affection.
Illyana wasn't fool enough to miss it.
Hearing the truth stirred disappointment and complexity, but she shook it off.
"......"
"And I chose you, idiot. My vague parents—who I barely remember—have no place here. This is just you and me."
Averting her gaze, embarrassed yet blunt, she was utterly adorable.
"Are you some flower boy? Why are you so damn cool?"
"Hmph. Huh...?"
Ecstatic at her words, Eunhyeon pulled a gem-encrusted ring from his pocket and slipped it tenderly onto her ring finger.
"Th-this...?"
"Engagement ring. I proposed but never gave you anything."
She stared blankly, lifting her finger to gaze at the blue sapphire ring.
As its azure gleam sparkled, Eunhyeon spoke.
"Picked it to match your blue eyes. And this one's mine."
He offered her a vivid ruby ring, naturally removing the sapphire one from her finger.
"Why take mine and give me yours?"
"We'll exchange them at the wedding. On each other's fingers. Like it?"
"Mmm, yeah. Ah..."
Suddenly, a sharp twinge in her belly made Illyana tremble all over.
Joy surged, flipping her body's switch—she realized it.
"...Nope, can't hold back."
"Huh?"
"I've endured so long. But no more."
"What...?"
"Follow me."
Grabbing Eunhyeon's wrist, Illyana dragged him into a shadowy alley devoid of any presence.