Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Farewell, Big Sister
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* * *
It was spring.
Not that it was literally the season of spring.
It simply felt that way to Ares—the time spent with Karen was like a warm spring where life began to stir.
Ares learned many things from Karen.
The most prominent lessons were about the mindset one should have when loving someone.
“You're saying that because you don't love them, you can sacrifice them?”
“Yes. In the end, you see everyone except yourself as chess pieces. You don't even consider who they love or who loves them.”
“…….”
“It might be hard to accept, but it's a very simple matter, Prince. If someone said they wanted to sacrifice me for the greater good, could you just let it pass without a care?”
“That’s…….”
Ares thought long and hard, then nodded.
“……I’d probably think of sacrificing myself instead. But if that wasn’t possible…… I don’t know. I can’t imagine thinking it’s okay to sacrifice you, but at the same time…… honestly, I don’t want to.”
“Humans often show dual sides when protecting what’s precious to them. And even if you decided to sacrifice me, I wouldn’t mind.”
“Yes……?”
“Because you agonized over it, right, Prince? Before, you would’ve immediately and casually said, ‘It’s fine to sacrifice for the greater good.’”
At Karen’s words, the prince’s cheeks flushed red.
Big Sister knew everything, so at this point, he didn’t even want to argue back strongly.
“That’s the most important part, Prince. That you couldn’t answer right away and had to think about it. That’s the weight of unwanted sacrifice. Remember that well.”
—Because people aren’t your chess pieces.
“True heroes aren’t something you can create just because you want to. They’re born from the flow of the times. If you chase results without considering the weight of sacrifice, you’ll eventually trip over that very weight you ignored. Never forget that. Got it?”
About half their time together was spent in such honest conversations about Ares’s mindset.
The other half was—
“Alright, can the prince handle this big one?! Yah!”
“Urgh……!!! It’s too, too big……!!”
—playing the card game Ares had created himself.
“Yah-hoo! I win!”
“No way…… I lost……?”
“Hehe, Prince! It’s your first loss in a game you made yourself, right?!”
Sure, the only real players were Karen and Ares—
But still, losing to the opponent who’d been winning consistently was quite a shock.
And in a game he’d designed from A to Z!
“No, but…… how did you come up with a counter-strategy like that?”
“I read the rules, played a few rounds with you, and thought about it nonstop! I figured if I dug deep enough, I could find a surefire win!”
As Karen said, her strategy was practically unbeatable.
Two cards that weren’t meant to synergize created an unexpected combo.
“So, you should tweak this part! The game’s still in development, right?”
“Got it. Thank you so much for spotting that major flaw, Big Sister.”
“Ehehe…… It’s a shame my surefire win got countered! But yeah! A game where you always win isn’t fun at all! I hope it becomes an even better game that lots of people love. It’s one you worked so hard on, Prince!”
‘…….’
For some reason, those words didn’t fill him with pure joy.
He’d fantasized about completing the game perfectly and showing it to the world, but honestly, he’d been embarrassed at the thought of people knowing a prince was making something like this.
In a way, it was part of his inner desire to be a hero, as Big Sister said. A hero obsessed with board games wasn’t exactly cool.
But now…… he wanted to finish this game and share it with the world.
And around that time, for some reason, he felt Big Sister wouldn’t be there anymore…… so he couldn’t bring himself to be happy.
They spent time playing chess, various board games, and having tea together.
It was a dreamlike time for him—
And as always, happy times are terribly short.
* * *
Karen’s final day.
A week earlier, she’d repeatedly told Ares, ‘Today is the last day we’ll be together.’
Ares had known from the start they couldn’t be together forever, so instead of clinging to her words, he’d spent the remaining time fully immersed in her stories.
Today, too, they exchanged greetings as usual, talked about his thoughts, played board games, drank tea—
—until the sun began to set.
Finally, the time for parting had arrived.
“Prince, you’ve worked hard these past days. Shall we review one last time?”
“Sure.”
Following Karen’s lead, Ares slowly voiced his thoughts.
“I won’t try to manipulate others for the greater good.”
“Good! And?”
“I won’t treat others’ sacrifices as a given.”
“And?”
“I’ll remember that deciding to sacrifice myself doesn’t give me the right to judge others’ lives.”
“Great! Now the last one! The most important!”
“……I won’t turn away from my inner desires.”
The reason Ares had become so extreme.
Ironically, it tied most deeply to that final point.
“Well done, Prince! As expected of my little brother! Big Sister is so proud.”
Karen clapped a few times, then looked at Ares and said,
“Ares. Never forget this. A revolutionary who only loves himself can’t lead the world in the right direction. To love the people you live with in this world, you must face your own deficiencies. It may seem naive, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. If your heart gets complicated or your chest feels tight again someday, please remember Big Sister’s advice. Got it?”
“……Yes.”
Karen tilted her head slightly, beaming brightly.
“Prince. I had so much fun living with you. And thank you for listening to me. For engaging seriously even when I was so honest.”
“No. I…… I had fun too. And I’m sorry. That day, I didn’t need to get so angry…….”
“It’s fine. That’s all in the past.”
Watching Karen respond like that, Ares noticed something.
Karen didn’t say clichés like ‘Don’t forget me’ or ‘I’ll never forget this.’
What did that mean?
Now, he thought he understood.
She…… was about to ‘disappear.’
Not just vanish from his sight, but cease to exist in this world.
She was a limited-time Plain Fact sent by the god. Once the time given to him ran out, she’d fade from the world again.
So.
Knowing all that, he couldn’t hold onto her.
At the same time, he now knew he shouldn’t.
Still.
Even if she didn’t remember him, he could remember her.
“Thank you. I’ll never forget you.”
That was the full extent of his sentiment.
“Oh my, that makes me happy! But there are more good people in the world than you think. If you live with love in your heart, you’ll meet someone wonderful someday…… and forget someone like me easily.”
Karen said that, then bowed at the waist.
“Goodbye, Prince. Stay healthy.”
She turned and stepped toward the door.
Ares waved to her, offering his own farewell—
“……Prince?”
—Or so he thought in his head.
But his heart, not his head, couldn’t accept it.
“……Big Sister.”
His feet moved on their own, grabbing her.
“Don’t go, Big Sister.”
“I’m sorry, Prince. But you know…… I can’t stay in this world long.”
“I’ll, I’ll…… I’ll believe in religion. I’ll convert to the Igugwoden Church. I’ll pray to Lord Igugwoden for Plain Facts. So—”
“Lord Igugwoden doesn’t want to give you false hope, Prince. He knows clinging to me won’t help you in the long run.”
“No. It’s not false! After all, Big Sister, to me—”
With that, he tried to hug her tightly.
Holding her, he wanted to say, ‘You’re so precious.’ ‘It’s not weird to convert to the god who gave me this Plain Fact as thanks.’
Like Eirene had. Like Yuria had…… He just wanted the same chance, he tried to say.
‘Huh……?’
But for some reason.
He couldn’t embrace Big Sister Karen.
His swinging arms passed right through her body.
Not even a snag. It was like slicing through air.
“Big Sister……?”
Looking up at her—
She…… was fading like a ghost.
“It’s meaningless. I was born solely to make Ares devoted to the Igugwoden Church.”
“But Plain Facts from the god are a grace to humans! I’m just like Mother or Big Sis, receiving the god’s grace—”
“It’s different.”
“……!”
“The god loves Lady Eirene.”
I’m a well-ripened being who receives the god’s love—
Mother Eirene’s voice brushed Ares’s ear.
“Because he loves Lady Eirene…… he tried to exclude you. He used my existence to cloud your vision.”
“But…… but in the end, he didn’t!”
“Yes.”
“So it’s fine! If you stay by my side and it doesn’t cloud my vision, but instead leads me to truly convert and walk the path of a monk serving the god—”
“Prince.”
He wanted to say more—
But she, who’d been fading, now began crumbling into powder.
Ares realized time was truly running out.
“I’m sorry, Prince. Still…… I’m glad the end didn’t corrupt you, but let you walk the true path for yourself—”
“Karen Big Sister……! Please, please! Please……!!! ”
Ares flailed his arms, then collapsed to his knees.
Looking down.
Nothing when he raised his head.
As if nothing had ever been there.
“Big Sister……!!! ”
Ares banged his head on the floor, tears streaming.
He knew he couldn’t hold her.
As she said, he knew her ultimate purpose wasn’t because the god cherished him.
And coldly, he could accept that her presence would sway him as long as she existed.
If.
Someday the god changed his mind and used her to ask something he shouldn’t do?
Her self was inputted by the god. Flipping her words would be easy.
Could he really cut her words like a knife then?
Just thinking that, as she said—
They shouldn’t be together forever.
So.
Was his desire to be swayed by her knowingly a sign he hadn’t grown yet?
Instead of seeking that answer……
‘……God.’
Ares clasped his hands in prayer.
‘Thank you for sharing Plain Facts with me. Thanks to Lord Igugwoden’s grace, I shed my stubbornness and was reborn. Not in the ‘miracle’ form Mother and Big Sis experienced…… but I fully felt what you wanted to convey to me.’
‘I won’t dare ask more of you. I know it’s insolent for someone who didn’t believe to demand. And I understand…… this is the right choice.’
‘But if possible, please let me meet her in dreams. Grant mercy so I can taste the fragment of love you gave me, even if just in dreams…….’
Swallowing tears, speaking sincerely to the god—his form was already that of an Igugwoden Church monk, no exaggeration.
* * *
‘Tch…….’
I tore open a tissue from nearby and dabbed my moist eyes.
Honestly…… the parting scene was sadder than imagined.
Not bawling, but…… even expecting it, it still hurt.
[ GiveMeMoney : Ares will likely formally convert to the Igugwoden Church soon ]
[ GiveMeMoney : That removes his threat to Lady Eirene ]
[ GiveMeMoney : We’re in awe that this was all Lord Igugwoden’s design ]
[ GiveMeMoney : Achieving such massive results with a tiny bit of ‘Divine Power’—truly Lord Igugwoden ]
[ GiveMeMoney : Through Saintess Erin, it would’ve required far more power ]
[ Igugwoden : Lol, it ended well... but watching them part is kinda sad ]
[ Igugwoden : Still, can’t grant Ares’s request, right? ]
[ GiveMeMoney : Regrettably, that’s the case for now ]
Fully creating one human.
It required an enormous amount of Divine Power, they’d said.
They’d emphasized repeatedly it was an overwhelming amount I couldn’t imagine, like the author insisting ‘balance-wise, no full humans, only pets—give up.’
Maybe a few million won?
At first, I had no intention of spending that on Ares, so I didn’t care—
But now, forcing their separation felt iffy.
[ Igugwoden : No good way around it, huh ]
[ GiveMeMoney : We can’t keep demanding sponsorships from the god every time... so for now, yes ]
[ GiveMeMoney : Truly sorry, Lord Igugwoden. And to request such a huge sum for a full miracle would be shameless... ]
[ Igugwoden : Nah, it’s fine lololol I won’t push if it’s a burden ]
[ Igugwoden : But ]
[ Igugwoden : What do you mean ‘demanding sponsorship every time’? ]
[ GiveMeMoney : To keep the nun existing even briefly, however little, requires Divine Power each time ]
Huh?
[ Igugwoden : Wait ]
[ Igugwoden : How about this? ]
[ GiveMeMoney : Pardon? ]
* * *
“You’ve decided to formally convert to the Igugwoden Church, Ares?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Eirene beamed, speaking to Ares warmly.
“You made the right choice. I can’t hide my joy that you’ve come to understand the god’s will.”
“…….”
“Very well. I’ll inform the Saintess myself. Clear your schedule for a while.”
“Understood.”
Ares rose to leave, then—
Turned, bowing to Eirene.
“Mother. Please continue leading the empire wisely.”
Despite the sudden remark, Eirene smiled and nodded.
“Don’t worry, Ares. A well-ripened woman doesn’t torment her people with foolish rule.”
Honestly, he still didn’t get what ‘well-ripened woman’ meant……
But if she kept this up, Ares could accept it.
Three days had passed since Karen vanished.
Now…… it was time to overcome the sorrow and move forward.
‘Big Sister. Watch over me so I don’t stray.’
Finishing with Mother, he returned to his room and opened the door—
“Oh, you’re back, Prince……?”
—A voice.
The woman’s voice he’d tried to forget but couldn’t.
“……Huh?”
* * *
[ GiveMeMoney : A new business model...? ]
[ Igugwoden : Yep ]
[ Igugwoden : Set it to auto-sponsor a fixed amount monthly ]
[ Igugwoden : Think of it as a new BM ㅇㅇ ]
[ Igugwoden : Called ‘Monthly Subscription Sponsorship’! ]
[ Igugwoden : I’ll send a small sponsorship fee every month ]
[ Igugwoden : Use this to keep copying Karen’s lifespan? ]
—The god was once again disseminating innovative modern culture to the other world.
* * *