Ch.123A Place to Return To

# 1.

Lord Casler of the Ancient Bloodline.

Having lived through countless ages, there was little in this world he couldn’t comprehend.

To what extent? He could humbly accept even the Dragon Lord’s rampage, the extinction of his bloodline, and Ran’s death.

Of course, he had wept countless tears in his grief, but ultimately, he accepted everything.

The Abyss.

A darkness so profound it balanced with the Goddess herself, just like other ancient races.

It was common knowledge among the ancient races that the Abyss sought divinity through wagers with the Goddess. As his memories showed, when the Abyss was determined, it became an unstoppable calamity.

Casler understood and accepted that losing his race and Ran was simply being swept up in that calamity.

However, even Casler encountered two situations he couldn’t comprehend. The first was his meeting with the Black Wolf.

Though understanding and acceptance hadn’t erased his desire for revenge, as he prepared to venture alone into the Abyss for retribution—

The Black Wolf came to him with Lactea and Bedro, saying:

“Please lend me your strength.”

“…Get lost.”

“If you still refuse after hearing me out, I’ll withdraw.”

“……”

Since a brief conversation wouldn’t hurt, Casler listened to his explanation.

The Black Wolf said that the final wager between the Goddess and the Abyss would soon begin, and that the outcome predetermined by [Balance] was the Abyss’s victory.

“You asked me to defeat the Abyss alongside the <Black Wolves>,” Casler said calmly as Nahan faced him in the returned underground prison.

This was a fact Nahan had also learned.

The Eclipse leader was the Abyss’s reincarnation, and stopping him was the only path to a happy ending.

As Nahan nodded in affirmation, Casler stood and approached him.

“Honestly, I still don’t understand. The Abyss cannot be challenged with human power alone. No matter how strong a human might be, they remain merely human before a natural disaster.”

Even with Casler’s strength added, the Abyss would remain the Abyss.

He couldn’t understand struggling against an opponent they couldn’t defeat.

“But I went along with it. You promised that if we couldn’t reach the Abyss and perished, you would at least punish everything related to it. However… this time I truly cannot understand.”

The vision they had just experienced.

The Black Wolf’s reaction then was the second thing he couldn’t comprehend.

“You always said the cause came first, and we agreed to abandon anyone who fell behind.”

Casler bit his finger and pointed the blood-formed sword.

“Yet you came to save me, pushing the cause to second priority.”

This was impossible.

Casler asked with glowing red eyes:

“Remember what you said? That I should kill you and take the leader position if you ever showed weakness. I think that time is now.”

Vengeance.

When the Black Wolf recruited him, he was most wary of that vengeance fading.

That’s why the members consisted only of those who had lost everything to Eclipse and the Abyss, watching each other vigilantly.

If anyone chose something over revenge against Eclipse, as was happening now, they would kill each other to prevent interference.

“I’ll give you time to explain yourself.”

In response to Casler’s cold challenge, Nahan handed him two items instead of answering.

One was a letter scrawled in blood, the other a carefully preserved ring.

-[I’ve discovered and recorded the Abyss’s plan. Please deliver this to the Lord.]

The letter was from his loyal servant Garendal.

-[I removed and hid this ring before giving my heart, afraid it would make Casler sad… I think it’s time to return it now…]

The ring was given by Ran, the first hero. Nahan slowly spoke:

“I’m not saying we should stop moving forward, but must we abandon the happiness within our grasp?”

“…!”

Casler froze.

Slowly…

Nahan approached Casler, heedless of whether his neck might be cut, and placed the ring and letter in his hand.

“Kill me whenever you wish.”

As Casler had said, Eclipse was still moving even as they stood there. Nahan took Flora and opened the cell door.

Finally, Casler, stopped by the ring and letter, asked in a strained voice:

“You’re not going to kill that woman either…?”

“……”

“…You’ve changed. So much that I question whether I should follow you. Honestly, I’m not even sure if you’re who you claim to be anymore.”

Lactea’s words came to mind at Casler’s penetrating question.

-I’ll keep your secret as long as you need, so don’t worry about the members finding out.

Meaning he could maintain the act as long as he didn’t reveal himself.

But conversely, it meant he might have to betray the members who trusted and followed him.

After a moment’s consideration, Nahan spoke as he was leaving through the prison door:

“I am not the Black Wolf.”

“…? What do you mean…?”

“My path differs from the Black Wolf’s. My goal isn’t focused on revenge, but on saving all those who couldn’t be saved. So if you don’t wish to follow me, you don’t have to.”

“…Leader?”

Casler’s expression wavered in confusion.

Nahan looked away from him and added one last thing:

“Don’t worry. Even if I die, I’ll release the constraints before I go.”

# 2.

One week later.

After staying at various inns in the archipelago, Nahan moved with Flora to the hideout in the Blue-Green Forest, not the Black Wolves’ hideout.

“…Isn’t the hideout in the other direction?”

“I wanted to be alone.”

“Ah… then I…”

“There are other rooms you can use.”

“Oh, I… yes. I understand.”

Flora was confused by Nahan’s sudden change in attitude but didn’t show it.

With her own eyes and ears, she had heard the conversation between Casler and the Black Wolf that day.

-I am not the Black Wolf.

-…? What do you mean…?

-My path differs from the Black Wolf’s. My goal isn’t focused on revenge, but on saving all those who couldn’t be saved. So if you don’t wish to follow me, you don’t have to.

Regardless, this person’s intention was true salvation, different from Eclipse’s, so Flora was satisfied and decided to help him.

After showing Flora to her room, Nahan entered the Black Wolf’s room.

There, under the moonlight, a system window appeared.

【Main Scenario – <Those Who Couldn’t Be Saved – Casler & Ran> has been completed.】

【Second Member – <Casler(Ex-)>’s rank has been upgraded to <Casler(Ex)>.】

【Reward will be granted.】

+

【Main Scenario – <Those Who Couldn’t Be Saved – Lactea & Reina> has begun.】

【”Big sister is my hero!”】

“…Right. It’s time to organize things.”

Nahan began organizing the system windows he had postponed due to concerns about the members.

─『Main Scenario』─

◆ Those Who Couldn’t Be Saved.

: Save the <characters> who would have perished in regret and despair.

◆Those Who Have Been Saved.

: So far… [7 / 10]

◆Reward

: One wish.

With Casler saved, the remaining targets for salvation were down to three.

‘Lactea and the Black Wolf… even if I save these two, one remains.’

Who could the last one be?

‘Someone who becomes a Black Wolf later, like Yuria who wasn’t originally a member? Perhaps Flora…? Or if not, the Emperor and the Hero?’

No.

‘If the Emperor and Hero were included, the total would be 11, not 10.’

After pondering for a while, Nahan realized he could do nothing for now and checked the progress of preventing the bad endings.

─『Main Quest』─

◆ Simply Survive.

: Prevent all bad endings and save the <Hero> and <Emperor>.

◆Number of Bad Endings Prevented.

: So far… [12 / 15]

◆Reward

: Return to original world.

The previously completed <Hallorand – Villain> after saving Bedro, and <Eclipse’s Appearance> which ended when they left the archipelago for the Blue-Green Forest.

【Bad Ending 12 – <Eclipse’s Appearance> has been successfully prevented.】

‘…Why today, after a week, when it hasn’t been prevented until now?’

He considered returning to the archipelago to investigate but realized he would encounter the members.

‘When the next bad ending is set up, I can guess its content from the name anyway…’

Lying on the bed, Nahan waited for the next bad ending to be set up while contemplating.

‘Completing <Those Who Couldn’t Be Saved> grants a wish, while completing the <Main Quest> allows return to the original world.’

In truth, achieving either one would allow him to return to his original world, and even if he failed, killing all the members would enable his return.

In other words, he could return one way or another.

But one thing troubled him.

‘…The Black Wolves members.’

Unlike his previous world where he was always alone, every moment here was bright and bustling.

‘If all the orphanage siblings hadn’t left, would I have lived with a similar feeling?’

Nahan immediately shook his head.

‘They all left well. They found people to become family with, thanks to the director.’

The director also found love later in life and built a happy family.

Sometimes when thinking like this, Nahan would ask himself:

If he returned to his original world,

‘Would there be a place for me there?’

Perhaps that’s why.

Why he gave more than necessary to the members who believed in and followed him as the Black Wolf.

Why, under the pretense of trying not to die, he genuinely came to care for them.

It might have been an excuse to escape the anxiety of possibly being alone again.

-The world is built on balance, with the Abyss as a counterweight to the Goddess. Their wager began from mutual incomprehension, but if you can save everyone and establish a new standard……

-You too will be saved.

Why did the Dragon Elder’s incomprehensible words come to mind now?

How could he save the world when he couldn’t even manage his own heart?

As his thoughts grew increasingly complex and heavy, unable to fall asleep yet again, crimson system windows appeared one after another.

【Bad Ending 13 – <Seed of Destruction – Germination> has begun.】

【Warning.】

【The Abyss – <Savior of Reincarnation> has approached <Hestia>, the final key that sealed the <Dragon Elder>.】

【Warning.】

【The Abyss – <Savior of Reincarnation> has approached <Reina Babylonia(SS-)>.】

【Warning.】

【Bad Ending 13 – <Seed of Destruction – Germination> is accelerating.】

【Warning.】

【The failure probability of Those Who Couldn’t Be Saved – <Lactea & Reina> is skyrocketing.】