Ch.129Chapter 129. That Thing Everyone Had Forgotten

Between the dimensions, in the black void that stretched across the gap, the goddess was imprisoned.

Though she was bound by invisible forces, suspended in the air with her limbs restrained and her eyes blindfolded, her divine power still radiated brilliant light even in that darkness.

“Justini.”

She raised her head at the voice calling her name.

Before the goddess stood the Golden Carriage World Postman.

“Looks like the final chapter is about to begin. Are you sure you should be stuck here like this?”

“If you pity me, you could simply release me.”

“Ah~ That won’t do. What good is it when the one who made the rules creates exceptions? You should have just followed them properly. What is this? Such a letdown at this crucial moment.”

The Postman made exaggerated gestures of disappointment, despite knowing the goddess couldn’t see him.

He was openly mocking her while being the very one who had imprisoned her for breaking the rules.

“This is unfair. My sister Angria directly and indirectly interfered, walking a tightrope above the rules, yet why do you treat only me this way?”

“Everything has its limits, Justini. Infinite regression in the millions, directly scorching the opposing dragon knight with your divine power—and you claim you’ve done nothing wrong? That’s a serious crime. Thanks to you, much of the fun was ruined. We want that thrilling edge, you know.”

“What meaning does ‘fun’ have when the fate of an entire world hangs in the balance?”

The smug Postman’s expression hardened at this question, his voice turning cold.

“In this endless, wearisome eternity, what meaning is there if not for fun?”

Soon his expression softened again, and he spoke in a coaxing tone.

“Justini, we all cared for you and gave you power, while we just left that scoundrel Angria alone. Yet despite that, your sister is scrambling about, providing us with unexpected entertainment. How can you remain so aloof?”

“An entire world is being sacrificed merely for the gods’ amusement!”

“Then why didn’t you manage your subject races properly? Both humans and elves repeated the same mistakes, losing the details of their history despite your direct divine punishment. Didn’t you continue to neglect that?”

Those words struck at the goddess’s most painful point, her vulnerable spot.

“I wanted to believe in them! I hoped they would realize, reflect, and change on their own! If I constantly punish and replace them, that’s no different from treating them as puppets.”

Despite the goddess’s plea, the World Postman remained indifferent.

“Do you think such excuses will work when the results are like this? How many letters filled with desire and malice do you think I’ve carried in your world?”

The Postman opened a spatial rift, pointing it out to her despite her blindness, and sneered.

“Look at that porter. You brought back the soul of one who remained noble until his betrayed death, only to have him face contempt—and you still claim to believe in your subject races? That’s a terrible joke even I can’t laugh at.”

Struck by these piercing words, the goddess lowered her head, unable to refute.

The Golden Carriage World Postman then pronounced his judgment, dropping his frivolous manner and speaking in his true voice.

“Until your subject races call out to you, you shall remain imprisoned here for eternity.”

That voice was chilling and heavy enough to make even the mighty goddess Justini tremble.

—

Dawn was breaking after a night that had stretched into early morning.

Lin, who hadn’t slept at all, rose from his seat as he watched the rising sun.

Rinasien, who had been dozing lightly, hurriedly moved to follow when she saw Lin getting up.

“Where are you going?”

Lin opened the door without responding to Rinasien’s question.

The guards on duty were startled and pointed their spears at Lin, but the tips were trembling.

“W-what is it, sir?”

“Today’s the public trial, right? Bring me handcuffs.”

“Handcuffs, sir?”

“What, you want me to go to the trial without handcuffs? I might be fine, but you could be punished.”

Punishments in the imperial palace were severe.

For instance, theft within the palace grounds, which would normally result in losing a wrist, could lead to losing both arms—that’s how harsh it was.

The frightened guards foolishly rushed off together and returned with just a single pair of handcuffs.

Lin obediently extended both hands.

“Put them on.”

“Wait.”

Rinasien stepped between Lin and the guard.

Having regained her confidence thanks to Lin’s presence, the former imperial princess scowled at the guards with arrogance.

“Why is there only one pair of handcuffs?”

“Pardon…?”

“Where is mine?!”

“Your Highness, you are not scheduled to attend this trial. We were told you aren’t even a criminal in this case.”

“What nonsense! Of course I should go to the trial with Lin!”

Both Lin and the guards stared blankly at Rinasien.

All three wore expressions that clearly said: What on earth is she talking about?

“What’s with those looks! Even you, Lin! Why are you looking at me like that?!”

“Well… it’s my trial. Why would you come along, Rina?”

“Obviously because I need to clear my name there! I can’t believe you’re asking me this!”

But Lin firmly denied her.

“Rina, this is my trial. There’s no reason for you to be there.”

“Exactly! It’s your trial, so you should take me along to expose what happened to me and bring down that woman and that bastard Rainford! And restore me as the imperial princess!”

Ah.

So that’s it.

That’s why she’s been so friendly.

“Why should I?”

“What?”

“Why should I do that?”

“What are you saying… Lin, you came all this way to save me.”

“I showed you the handcuffs when I arrived. I was brought here as a prisoner too. For some reason, we just ended up sharing a room.”

“That was all part of your plan to meet me…”

“Rina.”

Lin drew a cold line.

“We are nothing to each other.”

Rinasien stared at Lin in a daze.

Gradually, anger began to consume her.

She shook her head in disbelief, let out a bitter laugh, and finally exploded.

“You’re abandoning me?! You…!”

But Rinasien couldn’t finish her sentence.

At her accusation of abandonment, even the faint smile on Lin’s face disappeared.

No emotion could be felt from him.

Just a gaze like someone staring at an object.

When Lin, of all people, looked at her that way, Rinasien’s anger gave way to fear.

Both her mind and heart were sounding alarms that she had made a terrible mistake.

After staring at her for a long while, Lin tilted his head.

“I was the one abandoned by you. How can someone who was abandoned abandon the one who did the abandoning?”

It sounded like wordplay.

But there was no playfulness in it.

“I was abandoned in the Sewage Alley five years ago, and I’ve lived as an abandoned person ever since.”

“You’re doing this because of what happened back then? Ha! Do whatever you want. How petty! Get out! Get out of my room right now!”

A woman who had never apologized in her life tried to salvage her pride even while knowing she was in the wrong.

It was remarkable how she couldn’t suppress her temper even after being beaten by Rainford.

Rinasien began to throw a tantrum, hurling objects around the room.

“Get out! I said get out! Why did you come here just to upset me?!”

Lin didn’t take it quietly either.

As he dodged the flying books and various objects, Rinasien grew more enraged and let out a piercing scream.

“Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!”

“Excuse me… could we please move along quickly?”

Even the guards, thoroughly fed up with the situation, urged Lin to leave.

Lin left the room, hiding his bitterness.

“Well then, I hope you stay healthy, Your Highness.”

The door closed.

Rinasien, still fuming, threw a book on the floor and cursed.

“Useless bastard… why did he even come here… incompetent fool…”

As she turned around, she noticed a dish placed where she had been sitting.

On the clean, freshly taken dish were two small sandwiches.

Sandwiches with mashed potatoes and jam between slices of bread—the kind only Lin could make.

How could something so simple make her feel this way?

“Lin…!”

Rinasien rushed out of the room.

She twisted her ankle midway but ignored it, running barefoot down the corridor.

He just left, so he couldn’t have gone far.

“Liiiiiiiiin!!!!”

As she turned the corner, she saw his back.

Rinasien desperately called out to him.

The guard and Lin stopped walking.

“I was wrong! About what happened then—I’ll apologize, so please come back to me!”

Lin slowly turned around at her unprecedented apology.

Hoping with a faint glimmer, she tried to smile but froze.

Lin’s face showed the same expressionless look as before.

“With that one apology.”

Lin settled all his emotions with that apology.

“The children of the alley won’t come back.”

Now, truly, no lingering attachment remained.

“Because of you, Ravin and Arsil cried.”

The pain that used to ache subtly whenever he saw her had long since disappeared.

“I will never forgive you.”

He turned to face forward again.

Having finally put behind him the woman he had unrequitedly loved for more than half his life.

But Rinasien was far from doing the same.

*Grab*

“Lin! Lin! Please! Please don’t abandon me. I was wrong. I said I was wrong! What will I do if even you abandon me?!”

She ran over in tears, clutching his pant leg and clinging to him.

Pressing her cheek against his calf and flattening herself on the floor, Rinasien begged and begged.

But Lin didn’t even glance at her.

When the guards finally managed to pry her away, Rinasien cried out:

“If even you abandon me! I’ll die, I tell you!!”

“Haah…”

A sigh escaped him.

It’s exhausting, now.

“I already told you, the children of Sewage Alley are dead.”

Rinasien was never meant to be the main dish, no matter where she was placed.

Even now, she was merely an appetizer for what was to come. After everything was over, she would be someone to seek revenge upon, along with Ravin and Arsil.

Even that would be nothing more than a dessert.

But he intended to make that revenge thorough.

“Liiiiiiiiin! Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!”

Despite her desperate calls, Lin disappeared with the guards.

With her vision blurred by tears, Rinasien closed her eyes and let a drop fall.

Her cheeks burned.

Her chest felt hollow and painful.

The imperial princess crouched against the corridor wall, burying her head.

“He’s just angry for now.”

Come to think of it, Lin was the only one who had ever truly looked at her.

“It makes sense he’d be upset after being abandoned and neglected for five years…”

Lin was the one who had provided for her without lack, despite his own limitations.

“I can understand that much. He’ll come back to me once we get rid of that cursed Rainford and that woman.”

Lin was the one who had worried about her exclusively, like a shield knight, never looking away.

But why did it feel like she would never see him again?

Rinasien bit her nails until they bled, creating empty hopes and endlessly rationalizing to herself.

And then,

At the end of that rationalization,

“She” who had been silent until now whispered to Rinasien.

[Why do you want him?]

Because he’s my only one who understands me.

Because Lin is my only one who understands me.

Because Lin has always been my only ally.

[It seems you’ve committed a great wrong against such a person.]

The voice was very gloomy and sticky.

[Realization always comes after regret. It took me too long to understand that too. Our goddess should learn this as well.]

A dark, fog-like energy made Rinasien’s consciousness hazy.

“Lin… my Lin… I want Lin…”

[You realized before you were completely corrupted, so I should reward you. Yes, I’ll help you get what you want.]

Breaking the long silence, the Demon King begins to move.

[Come to me, Rinasien Karrun.]