Chapter 105
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Encounter (3)
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The Great War of ten thousand years ago.
A ten-year-long great war, unrecorded in history.
Commonly known as the Blank Decade.
The cause of that war, and its process, were never mentioned in the original novel.
Some might ask about this.
Wait, you said countless demihumans who experienced that war are returning with the start of the Demihuman Return episode, right? So how can you say the Blank Decade was never mentioned in the original work? Does that make sense?
Yes. It does.
The reason is simple.
The returning demihumans never spoke a word about that war.
To be more precise, there was absolutely no exchange of information between the protagonist's side and the demihumans' side.
Needless to say, this was true for the Breakers led by the Demon God, and there was no interaction with the Saviors led by the Dragon Lord either.
Then, someone else might ask.
I get the axis of evil, but no interaction with the Saviors, the side of the protectors? What kind of nonsense is that?
I can sympathize with that a bit.
Considering the immense military power of the Demon God's side, it would have been normal for humanity, led by the protagonist, and the Saviors, led by the Dragon Lord, to join forces.
But the Dragon Lord did not trust humanity. He said there was no time to build trust with an unidentified third party.
With no interaction, the novel never progressed from the Saviors point of view. And while there were parts from the Demon God's perspective, the Breakers were essentially a cult of fanatics, so no one ever spoke of the great war of the past.
The result was the Blank Decade.
No one on the human side, including the original protagonist (Kang Seoyul), knew anything about that great war.
There were countless questions, but no way to answer them.
Nor was there any time to act to solve those mysteries.
They were already overwhelmed dealing with the Breakers led by the Demon God.
And in the end, this plot point was never resolved by the time the original novel, [S-Class Status Window], concluded.
The reason the war started ten thousand years ago, the reason only the human race survived, the reason all records vanished. Not a single question could be answered.
You don't know of the human race?
That is correct. This is the first time I have ever heard the name of a race called human.
So, naturally, the princess's words were a shock.
Does that mean the human race didn't exist ten thousand years ago?
Perhaps. I do not claim to know everything in the world. It is possible the human race existed among the few rare species.
The princess replied with a solemn expression.
No. That can't be right. There are over six billion humans living in this world now. They can't be a rare species.
It just didn't make sense.
Sixty billion? Did you say sixty billion? Hah.
The princess's eyes widened.
With her cherry-like lips, she was muttering, Sixty billion sixty times the population of the Beastkin Kingdom
I watched the surprised princess's face and fell into thought.
The princess of the beastkin doesn't know about the human race. What does this mean?
At that moment, something flashed in my mind.
The human race was born after the Great War?
My pupils slowly dilated.
Hm? What was that you said?
My head spun like a top.
The biggest mystery of the Blank Decade.
How did the human race survive?
The Dragon Lord and the Demon God were dimensionally confined and sealed, respectively, and the Celestial God died.
A great war in which races like spirits, elves, and giants, who were innately superior to humans in every way, were all sealed or killed.
The reason why, in that war, only the human race survived. As a reader back then, I couldn't come up with any answer.
But what if the human race didn't survive the Great War, but was born after it ended?
Then it would make sense.
A new intelligent species born after all other intelligent life forms had vanished.
If the human race was born that way, all the mysteries would naturally be solved.
Thats right. Im sure of it.
You. What in the world are you talking about?
I recalled the contents of the original novel.
The Saviors, led by the Dragon Lord, held an irrationally fierce wariness towards humanity.
I had thought it was a wariness towards an unidentified third party, born from the dragon's caution.
But what if it was instead a wariness towards a third race that hadn't existed ten thousand years ago?
If so, the words the Dragon Lord spoke at their first meeting would also make sense.
I recalled a scene from the original novel.
The Dragon Lord spoke with a terribly blank expression.
The will of humanity, you say. I cannot believe it. What guarantee is there that you are not a pawn of the Demon God in the first place?
That scene also took on a new interpretation.
Yes. If this hypothesis is correct, it also explains why there are no records of the war.
Please, speak in a way that I can understand
It felt like a puzzle was coming together in my mind.
Thats right. The Ancient Artifacts!
At that moment, a new piece of evidence flashed in my mind.
Of the countless Ancient Artifacts in the world, not a single one can be worn by a human.
How insolent! If you continue to ignore me, I, too, have my limits!
If humanity was one of the races that existed ten thousand years ago, it's strange that there isn't a single Ancient Artifact for them.
Everything was fitting together perfectly.
However, this raises a new question.
Right after the fierce and terrible Great War, where not a single individual of any other race was left.
On that wounded earth, how did humanity achieve a new birth?
According to historical records, humanity began to form state structures about 9,000 years ago.
What are the chances that in 1,000 years, all the wounds of that horrific Great War were healed, and a new intelligent species was born naturally from scratch?
Its a miracle they were even born, but what are the chances that these products of coincidence evolved at an unbelievable speed to become social beings in just a thousand years?
I shook my head.
There's no chance of that happening.
...One mystery after another, just like climbing one mountain after another.
In the end, the end of one question was a new question.
It was then that someone threw themselves into my arms.
You! Are you ignoring me on purpose? Even if my heart is as vast as the sea, it has its limits!
It was the princess.
She was clinging to me awkwardly, looking up at me. Tears seemed to be welling up in the corners of her eyes.
Ignoring people is rude! Do you know that!
Ah.
I think the princess might have been trying to talk to me in between.
No, it's I wasn't exactly ignoring you. I was just lost in thought and didn't realize
The princess replied, her eyes still moist.
Is that true?
Of course. Why would I ignore you, Princess?
I have heard that in the Elven and Dwarven Kingdoms, it is customary to look down upon the beastkin.
Ah. There was a custom like that?
Nah, we're not like that. In fact, they'd probably love you.
That country across the sea that treats beastkin as their ancestors, Japan, for instance.
They'd go absolutely wild.
With the Silver Wolf tribe's characteristic radiant silver hair and wolf ears, she could become an instant star, you know?
Really?
I'm telling you. Everyone would be captivated by your cuteness. I guarantee it.
At my firm reply, the princess's expression brightened up. Then, after a small cough, she returned to her solemn expression.
I see. Hmm. I, who have never once failed to claim the title of most beautiful in the Beastkin Kingdom. It is only natural.
She crosses her arms, lifts her head arrogantly, and smiles with satisfaction. She's all happy again.
So, you. Would you care to explain the current situation? What is this human race, and what did you mean by sixty billion?
Her two eyes, looking at me, sparkled with curiosity.
Before that, there's something I want to ask first. Do you happen to know what caused the Great War?
You. You do not even know that?
The princess wore a boastful expression.
I do know, but I'm just confirming.
I didn't know, but I pretended to be confident.
Is that so. Very well. I shall explain. The cause was the Demon God's assault. It began when he suddenly broke the pact with the Celestial Realm and attacked the Dwarven Kingdom.
The princess's story went on for quite a while.
The sudden attack of the Demon God.
The Breakers formed around the Demon God.
The suddenly strengthened Demon God.
The Saviors who formed a group a little later.
For seven years, the war continued on equal footing, until our Beastkin Kingdom was attacked. We fell for the Demon God's trickery. And
The princess's expression turned gloomy.
That is all I know. For I was sealed away after that.
Silence fell.
A silence that occurred because the princess grew somber talking about the fall of the Beastkin Kingdom.
And because I was busy organizing my thoughts.
My impression after hearing the princess's story was simple.
This is pretty much what I expected.
It followed the clichs, so to speak.
The attack of a strengthened evil.
The good and the neutral dragons standing against that evil.
The inevitable losers and winners in a balanced battle.
It was a very conventional clich that anyone could imagine.
Zinis Mother Father
Of course, since it was reality, for someone it must be sorrowful.
I placed my hand on the head of the princess, whose shoulders were slumped.
Are you okay?
Of course. I am the rightful heir to the Beastkin Kingdom. I am perfectly fine.
She doesn't look fine.
Anyone can see she's just acting tough.
I smiled bitterly.
Anyway, thank you.
I meant it.
Thanks to her, many of my questions were answered.
Still, it's a bit disappointing.
How the war concluded. That's what I was most curious about.
But this princess was sealed in the seventh year, so there's no way to know that much.
Then it is your turn to explain. Tell me everything about this era.
Everything?
The princess nodded with a firm look in her eyes.
Okay. I'll explain it all, one thing at a time.
I went on to talk endlessly about the current era, ten thousand years later.
* * *
The next morning.
I got out of bed with hollow eyes.
When was the last time I felt this tired.
I don't know when I last felt fatigue since gaining the beastkin trait, 'Boiling Pure Blood'.
How can a princess be so curious
I didn't get a wink of sleep yesterday.
Princess Rena Beast Riperiel was the epitome of curiosity; she would pose a new question for everything I said.
I couldn't bring myself to betray those sparkling eyes, so I answered until the end, but honestly, I'm exhausted.
Well, thanks to that, it seems her wariness towards me has completely disappeared, so that's a relief.
I looked at the princess sleeping soundly in my bed. Next to her, Baekho and Geumho were also sleeping, tangled together.
It was a sight that brought a smile to my face.
I discreetly took out my smartphone and snapped a picture. It was the birth of a picture so cute it could go viral worldwide in an instant if I posted it on social media.
With a pleased smile, I placed my phone on the table and headed to the washroom.
By the way, that princess. She's purer than I ever imagined.
Rena Beast Riperiel, who was called a symbol of terror in the original novel, is now sparkling with curiosity. It doesn't match.
What on earth happened.
What in the world happened to this adorable princess?
Was there a mind-control user among the villains of the Demon King's army? I don't think so.
Hmm.
I don't know. And I don't want to know.
What's important isn't what happened to the original Rena, but that the symbol of terror has now become an ally.
I headed to the washroom.
Phew.
After washing up, I came out of the washroom. I roughly dried my hair and changed into my cadet uniform.
Just as I was about to head for the entrance.
Where are you goooing?
The sleepy princess sat up in bed, swaying groggily.
To school. I told you no, I told you this morning, right?
School hmm. An educational institution?
That's right. I'll be back soon, so you can go back to sleep.
At my words, the princess yawned widely. Then she trudged over to me.
Your hair isn't fully dry. And your clothes are a bit wrinklyyyy
Her eyes were half-closed. Her speech was a mix of her solemn tone and that of a girl her age.
Rena approached me in her daze and placed her hands on my body.
The next moment, a magical light glowed on my body.
Instantly, the moisture in my hair evaporated.
Black impurities were expelled from my cadet uniform into the air, gathering in one spot.
The wrinkles on my clothes began to smooth out in an instant.
Mmm. There we gooo.
Then, with a final bright smile, she turned 180 degrees and staggered back to the bed.
Huh?
I was dumbfounded.
Part of it was because I had never seen such a peculiar magic before, but that wasn't the main reason.
Right, I forgot
The symbol of terror from the original novel, Rena Beast Riperiel.
Her specialty is magic.
Not modern magic, but the draconic magic system that has been passed down for ten thousand years.
This princess. She was a user of ancient magic.
The face of the princess, who had already returned to bed and was sleeping while hugging Geumho, seemed to shine like a jewel.
I've found a way to use magic!
< Chapter 105: An Unexpected Encounter (3) > End