Chapter 865: The Last (98)
-Raphael… when this is over… can we…?
-Yes, Marien. Let’s go see him together.
-…
-Thank you, everyone.
-I will help you clear the road.
“…”
“…”
“Yeon-soo, can you open my hand?”
“Okay, unnie.”
“I didn’t mean to really open it.”
“Oh! I-I’m sorry. I…”
“No, you don’t need to apologize. I mean, it’s already a mess here, so why are those kids starting their own little adventure? I don’t know how they can say lines like that so easily, especially Lee Joo-hyuk. He seriously talks like that. You saw that too, right?”
“Ah… yes. That’s definitely…”
“I was already aware of it since the twins liked it, strangely. They recognize those who are like them. And that one too. Isn’t he a member of the Moon Breakers?”
“…”
“…”
“Ah. A-Anyway, what should we do with Raphael, unnie?”
“I don’t know. I tried to stop him, but I don’t know if he can be stopped. We don’t have to do anything here. It’s not me who’s in a complicated situation now. It’s oppa. Maybe he’ll work it out…”
-Jihye. Have you seen those crazy bastards?
“It doesn’t look like it… Gosh, he gives me so much trouble.”
Not surprisingly, I could see the Son of Light speaking via the Goddess’ Mirror.
The way he was rushing to talk to unnie seemed somehow superficial.
“I know, so don’t overreact. That’s within expectations.”
-If possible, please don’t let him come. Hyunsung will go crazy. He’s already upset right now; he shouldn’t make things worse. He can’t come. Did they say he should go to Laios? Oh no. Hayan. Please, do something about Hayan…
“Yes, yes. Okay. I understand your feelings well enough. I’m scared of that crazy bitch too, and I really don’t have any desire to take a step toward the continent’s destruction.”
-You know I can’t focus on anything else because I have to prepare myself too, right? I’m too busy with work right now… I trust you’ll be able to take care of it. Oh, Jihye, do you have any divinity…?
“You don’t have to worry about that. We’re gathering so much of it that it would be meaningless to settle the accounts in real-time. The leading digit keeps changing every second. I’d like to get this sorted out first. If you need to use it somewhere, I should make sure it’s ready for you, right? It looks like those up there are also preparing. Belial must be busy, and Benignore… Well, I’ll just take care of it.”
-Good. You’re the only one I trust, anyway.
“Don’t believe in me too much. There’s a limit to how much I can control the situation. This is even more difficult for me since I’m sitting in a chair.”
-Still.
“As you can see, I sent responses to different countries and groups about the show that is going on right now. Naturally, there’s no need to worry about the State. The Republic is slowly gathering as well.”
-I think it would be better to put in the Shadow Hero and appeal to their emotions. I’m going to connect the channel.
“I’ll make a short promotional video and send it out. Asking Ronove might be the best option here. There are some differences within the expected range, but most of the responses are positive. We’re gathering divinity from all directions. There’s not much from Laios, but that was unavoidable… anyway, that’s all for now. Good luck, oppa.”
-Yes, Jihye. I’m always thankful for you.
“Me too. I love you and thank you.”
Unnie was quietly looking into the Goddess’ Mirror. The gray-colored warrior on the screen sprinted at high speed, destroying the demons.
The way he continued to slash the enemies with the sword was desperate to the point that I unwittingly cheered for him.
“It will be difficult to stop him. Things aren’t going well. If you look closely, that gray newbie has also crossed the wall… This can’t be easy. The communication channel has already been cut off, so there is no way to contact them. It’s the same for Marien and Joo-hyuk, right?”
“Yeah.”
However, that scene was only a cross-section of many other mirrors.
The mirrors that filled the room had images of each city as well as the entire continent.
In Laios, the God of Magic and the Angel of Magic were still blocking the huge mass of magic power, and battles were taking place non-stop on the frontlines.
-This is a holy war! A crusade! God will not forsake us. Never yield to the demons. Let the world know that our knights are alive. Let’s do everything we can with our powers, my brothers and sisters!
-Fight for the Son of Light and Goddess Benignore!
-Don’t back down!
-For the Republic! For the Shadow Hero!
-Oh, Lauren, please bless our sons and daughters who are heading to the battlefield with strength.
Those who weren’t participating in the war prayed desperately. Some had already been swept up in battle or remained in the city’s ruins, hiding inside basements or buildings and holding each other’s hands.
There were more than a few people who put small stones on their knees and wept or grabbed rosaries from around their necks.
Citizens who had never been on the battlefield picked up swords and shields with trembling hands.
To protect their faith, to protect themselves, to protect the continent.
They, too, shared what might be their last greeting with their loved ones.
‘This…’
Even thinking a little rationally, I was so disconcerted that I couldn’t say anything.
‘This is a stage and a play made by those very people.’
It was a play that Lee Kiyoung and Lee Jihye had created, and they had put each character on the stage called the continent.
Those desperate, sublime, and even beautiful situations that were happening right now… I couldn’t believe it was all an entertainment show made by those two people.
The lights and angels, the adventurers who’d fought and got tangled with monsters, the mercenaries who went to war to protect the city, and those who had struggled to survive somehow…
All of them were part of a play that followed a well-planned script.
There had sometimes been people who’d caused unbelievable things on the continent, such as the gray warrior who continued to cut down the red demons, the archmage who had held back a smile with her head bowed, the Mercenary Queen quietly looking at the sky with her face crumpled, the leader of the State who had cried, and the elf princess who was leading the elves to the frontlines.
Although not as many, countless others could influence the continent.
The eight seats of the State, the generals of the Republic, the armed groups of the Federation, and the Union.
But all of them still seemed too insignificant compared to that duo.
‘Just the two of them…’
They were playing with the continent.
I felt as if they were gambling, thinking of it as a playground.
They moved their chess pieces without much care, but they didn’t forgive those that fell outside their influence.
They chose even those who would become their enemies, controlling them from the palms of their hands and ultimately leading them to ruin.
I’d known from the beginning that unnie, the woman I chose to follow, was such a person. I’d even known that things would be like this, but it was hard to get used to it.
The fact that the continent had become a stage was difficult for the average person to understand, which even confused me at different levels.
Maybe it was because I thought too much. I noticed Lee Jihye looking at me quietly with her chin resting on the back of her hand.
“Yeon-soo, what are your thoughts so far, watching this?”
“What?”
“What do you think of this?”
“I don’t know. I just… feel reassured.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m next to you and not there, and because I know everything that’s happening here. At least I’m…”
‘Not a chess piece.’
Extremely put, I might have been nothing but a part that supported their stage.
I might just have been a lump of iron on the railroad tracks built under Lee Kiyoung and Lee Jihye.
Unnie had told me that she cherished me, but she might just have been thinking of me as a part she liked.
However, the fact that I wasn’t a chess piece, after all, made me feel relieved.
“Right. It’s important that you feel that way. Thinking too deeply can be detrimental to your health. Oh! I must be out of my mind. I should send more troops to the Republic’s side. The main event is practically over, and… um… Can you please call Yuno Kasugano?”
“Okay.”
As I slowly opened the door, I saw her waiting in front of it.
‘She must have already known.’
“Oh. Yuno.”
“Yes?”
“I will guide you. Where’s Cho Hyejin?”
“She’s still talking with Sun Hee-young. She seemingly wants to go to where the Sunset Swordsman is currently located… The others feel the same way.”
“B-By the way… how did you know when to come here?”
“…”
‘It’s uncomfortable to talk to her.’
In fact, this woman was the creepiest.
‘I don’t know what she’s thinking.’
“Did you find it, Lee Jihye?”
“Yes, Kasugano.”
She glanced at me.
“Should… Should I stay outside?”
“No, Yeon-soo. You can stay here.”
I smiled at her, and after the shaman nodded, seemingly having predicted this turn of events, she didn’t pay much attention to me anymore.
“You’re probably wondering about what has changed.”
“Yeah. You’re right. I’ve been wondering to what extent variables are allowed to change the future and if the future won’t change even if the process to get to it changes. I honestly don’t think it can be stopped. It looks like the gray side will be taken care of somehow. Our Red Queen, Lindel’s pride, is also running.”
“…”
“…”
“It will not change.”
“On what basis?”
“Because we have reached the end. That’s all I can say for now. Lee Jihye, everything will go as you wish.”
She tapped the table, seemingly a bit troubled.
After quietly looking toward the Goddess’s Mirror, she got up and paced around the room.
I didn’t know what kind of calculation she was doing, but Yuno Kasugano was looking at her with her wide-open eyes and huge pupils.
‘Ugh…’
“And Cho Hyejin…”
“We will go too.”
“What? Unnie?”
“We’ll have to go too. Even if we can’t stop him, it won’t be too bad. I don’t know what the correct answer is, but I think this is right. There is a limit to what we can do here anyway, which means we’ll have to switch tactics sooner or later. Other than that, all I know is that the Eberia case is a little different, considering they were the guardians who foresaw the destruction of the continent and were the first ones to move.”
“Is that the only reason?”
“As always.”
“…”
“I just found a more efficient way. Like oppa said, it’s stupid not to throw dice when you have to, especially considering this is a winning bet. Oh. Before we leave, call Jung Hayan… no, Han Sora. I’ll explain the situation and go right in.”
‘You’re going over there?’
On top of the red temple, I saw the God of Sunset struggling and the Son of Light whose soul was being ripped out.
-Kiyoung… Kiyoung!
-Aaaaaah…!
Yuno Kasugano just watched the scene nonchalantly as she stood up.
“As the master wishes…”
As always, she was acting strangely creepy.
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