Chapter 78: Those Who Can Never Be Forgiven (29)
by AfuhfuihgsFloating in the vastness of a star-filled universe, my body drifted aimlessly.
Yet, despite the apparent emptiness, I could feel a strange, sticky sensation beneath me.
It reminded me of the time I had volunteered at a beach during an oil spill when I was a child.
Wait, why did I volunteer in the first place?
Even if I had been relatively normal in elementary school, I had no reason to go out of my way for something like that.
I couldn’t remember.
Would I be able to grasp the fragments of my memory if I reached out?
As I gazed around, I realized that between the shimmering stars, memories were flowing like a river.
Determined, I struggled to move.
A younger version of me.
Before I locked myself away.
Before I gave up on the future.
And beside me… a friend?
But I never had friends.
Something felt off.
That was when I realized—this was my own mental space.
Why had I forgotten?
That mysterious woman who had offered me power back in Edirne—the atmosphere here was exactly the same as back then.
Who was she?
What did that red-haired woman want from me?
As I struggled with these thoughts, I suddenly felt a presence behind me.
“This is the mental space that belongs to both you and me. First of all, let me welcome you, Sera.”
It was a woman.
The same red-haired woman who had granted me power.
The only thing strange about her was that she wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing.
Her noticeably larger chest immediately caught my eye.
“…Are you some kind of pervert?”
“A pervert? That would be someone like you, wouldn’t it?”
“Scheming to pounce on the warrior like that…
And besides, aren’t you also naked?”
“Huh? What?!”
I quickly glanced down at myself.
The white robes and cape poncho I had been wearing were gone.
All I could see was my bare skin and the sacred markings glowing on my lower abdomen.
Flustered, I instinctively tried to cover myself.
But the woman sighed.
“This is a mental space.
Physical objects from the real world don’t carry over here.”
“Haa… Do you not even know how to hold a conversation properly?”
It was beyond humiliating.
Even if this was a mental space, standing here completely naked with a stranger was beyond uncomfortable.
Was she some kind of crazy psycho lesbian?
I had no interest in rubbing against another woman.
As I was lost in my thoughts, the woman scoffed, as if reading my mind.
“See those stars?”
She pointed toward the glowing fragments around us.
“Each one represents our memories.
But because of the influence of demonic energy, they’re mixing together.”
“Think of it as a river of memories.”
“A river of memories…”
I was too caught up in awe to think rationally.
Then the woman introduced herself.
“My name is Rina. As a saint, surely you’ve heard of me?”
She handed me a small orb filled with countless twinkling stars.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
But… Rina?
Her name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it.
Not wanting to seem ignorant, I simply nodded and accepted the orb.
Inside were Rina’s memories.
A black-haired man speaking with her, their conversation vividly recorded.
The two seemed deeply in love.
Just watching them made me feel warm inside.
“The First Warrior, Min-yul, was a truly kind person.
He taught me the meaning of ‘righteousness’ when I, a mere girl granted power, was lost.
He brought color into my otherwise dull, gray world.”
In the memory, Min-yul, the first warrior, had black hair and black eyes, just like Kim Su-hyun.
However, he had sharper features, a taller frame, and a more mature aura.
Even though I didn’t want to admit it, he really was handsome.
“…But I still think Su-hyun is better.”
There was no real reason for that belief, but he was my friend.
So, of course, I’d take his side.
“Sealing the Demon King was grueling.
Caring for the refugees that flooded in from across the continent was even more exhausting.
But I was happy.
Whenever we had time, we’d lie under the moonlit sky and talk about each other’s worlds.
Min-yul always looked so happy during those moments.
And sometimes, I’d find myself wishing to see his world too…”
Even though she was speaking about herself, Rina’s voice sounded detached, as if recounting someone else’s story.
“It was an illusion of happiness.”
“Did you know? A body tainted by demonic energy can never be restored.”
“…I was taught that only sacred flames can purify them.”
That was what Maleus had told me.
He had called it a mercy, not a punishment.
“We do not need personal opinions.”
“We are only to carry out the will of the gods.”
That was what I had been taught.
Yet, why did those words suddenly feel so hollow?
“Exactly.”
“A holy sword could have purified it, but the sword lost its power when the Demon King was sealed.”
“Selene tried to research a way to restore it, but humans simply don’t have enough time.
We would have fallen into corruption before she ever found the answer.”
Rina wiped her tears and tapped the orb.
A new memory unfolded before me.
It was Min-yul, after his corruption.
His eyes, once filled with light, were now tainted black.
“Misfortune always arrives without warning.”
“We succeeded in sealing the Demon King, but his curse was too powerful.”
“We were all contaminated by demonic energy, but Min-yul’s corruption was the worst of all.”
I didn’t want to watch, but Rina forced me to see it.
The sorrow.
The despair.
The horror.
It all seeped into my mind.
“A warrior’s life is short.
He could only escape the curse by abandoning his powers.
And so, Min-yul chose to leave this world—
To erase all his memories here and return to his original world.”
“That’s… cruel.”
“I thought so too.”
“He had been summoned into a war he didn’t understand.
He had fallen in love.
And just when he was finally about to enjoy the peace he fought for—
He was forced to give it all up.”
And worst of all…
The promise he left behind.
A sweet, yet terrible curse.
“Min-yul swore to me—
That one day, he would return.
That I only needed to wait.”
Rina stared blankly into the dark void.
“I didn’t want to die.
I accepted demonic energy.
I became the vessel for the Demon King, just so I could live longer.
For 300 years, I have battled the Demon King’s will.”
“So… you are the new Demon King.”
Rina smiled.
“No.
I am still Rina.
And I will make Min-yul remember me.
Even if it means overwriting Kim Su-hyun’s mind.”
She grabbed my throat, her grip tightening.
“Give me your memories, Sera.
It’s my turn to meet my warrior.”
And just like that, I began to sink into the abyss.
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