Ch.144Forgiveness

# 1.

Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the Imperial Palace, just before the seals of the Abyss were completely broken—at the time when Lactea was being saved.

It was originally a training ground for knights, but after the attack, it had become a battlefield.

Present were the Elders of Ilsik and the Black Wolf members left behind to subdue them.

Hanryang faced the Second Elder, December’s Calamity;

Pedro faced the Third Elder, Silas;

Ruby and Dalan faced the remaining underlings.

During the ongoing battle, the first to conclude was Ruby and Dalan’s side.

Though it was troublesome, given that their opponents were Ilsik Elders and brainwashed Rank 10 fighters,

【<Corpse Golem (SSS+)> activates.】

There was no issue with numbers, so they were quickly subdued and left struggling on the ground.

“Dalan.”

“Keep your eyes closed.”

It took time to subdue them, but once done, no special technique was needed.

*Slash.*

…*Thud.*

The severed heads rolled across the training ground floor, drawing red lines.

Certain death.

Ruby, with her red eyes, confirmed the neutralization of the enemies and turned her head.

“Next…”

After briefly observing, it was clear where they should join without needing to say much.

“[How could someone who once served as a Jangseung join Ilsik!! Do you know what they did to Miss Ilhong… to the Cheon family!?]”

“……”

“[Please, at least give me some excuse!!]”

*CRASH!!*

The fierce gazes of the two were fixed on the Second Elder—Cheonmyeong.

Now that she had confronted and overcome forgotten memories, the face of her enemy appeared clearly in the tragedy she recalled.

Unlike the hesitant blue eyes, the red eyes did not let go of her enemy, tearing into him.

“Uncle. That person is the one who attacked our village, right?”

“…Ruby.”

“Let’s go.”

This was different from before—a terrible guilt that would haunt her for life if not resolved.

“…Yes. But let’s be careful.”

Even Dalan, who always protected Ruby, stepped back and followed her.

Meanwhile, Pedro, who had overcome his pain thanks to Nahan, was much more composed.

No, saying he was more composed was an understatement—he was overwhelming.

“…!!”

Unlike Silas, who was attacking desperately, Pedro approached the battle with composure.

That’s why he could ask.

“Why did you do it?”

A lingering question, though it had been resolved thanks to meeting Ria.

“You took Ria’s grandmother first, and that’s why you were avenged.”

“……!!”

“Why did you take her first, and then rush in without distinguishing right from wrong when the same was done to you?”

It had always puzzled him.

Both Ria and Silas had taken from each other once and lost once.

“Why are you still fixated on that and trying to kill me?”

Would he have understood Silas if Ria had sealed his malice?

Despite Pedro’s emotionless questions, Silas remained silent.

He felt his lips twitch, wanting to make excuses, but he bit them until they bled to keep from speaking.

The reason for his silence was simple.

‘Because I have to.’

Pedro’s words were true.

He had concluded that demons could not change and executed everyone involved.

He rose to become the leader of the Heresy Inquisitors, but felt doubt and wandered.

Because it was orders from above,

Because he alone couldn’t change things,

Because it was unavoidable.

He rationalized under numerous excuses and accepted rather than advocating for change.

And as a result,

-Aah…!!

He lost even his only remaining sister to the demon named Ria.

Burning with vengeance, he pursued and learned.

The village where she stayed was small and peaceful.

If not for the Heresy Inquisitors, she might have lived normally as a girl named ‘Ria,’ not as a demon.

-…She cried?

-Yes. She realized after losing it. The love her grandmother had given her.

They were the ones who were wrong, they were the ones who dragged her into the cycle of revenge.

But he couldn’t stop.

Even if he understood, even if he realized his own sins, it didn’t mean he could forgive the crimes committed by the other.

So he killed her.

Despite being the first to commit a sin, he killed her because he felt so wronged by her revenge.

And surprisingly, that girl who was a demon said she would forgive him.

Silas asked the girl who embraced him while her heart was pierced.

-Why…?

-Because I’m tired of unavoidable things.

For beings driven by emotion, the chain of revenge can never be broken.

But conversely, because that ’emotion’ exists,

-Instead… save Pedro once later. Then I really won’t hold a grudge.

The girl forgave him, her enemy, for the sake of another precious person.

So now, the chain of revenge left for Silas was only between himself and Pedro.

Blinded by revenge, he had joined Ilsik, and now he was desperately remaining here only to die by Pedro’s hand.

‘With my death, I will break the chain.’

Silas swung his stake with all his might.

‘I don’t know what happened, but he’s incomparably stronger than before.’

So if he attacked with all his heart, an opportunity to kill him would come.

Therefore…

“Are you really not going to answer me?”

“……Stop asking and just kill me!!”

I need to pay for my sins against Pedro and end my life.

Silas gave his all.

“……Kill me!! I killed Ria!! I am your enemy!!”

He desperately waited for the moment when Pedro would end his life, truly fitting the description of someone struggling to die.

“……Aren’t you angry?! Have you already forgotten how she died?!”

How many provocations followed after that?

*Thump.*

Pedro, who had been standing still and merely deflecting attacks, grabbed Silas by the collar.

…Swish.

His left hand slowly raised.

Silas sensed it.

The moment that hand pierced him, he could escape from his guilt.

“I remember everything.”

He closed his eyes, accepting death.

“Everything about Ria… I remember it all as if it were yesterday, without missing a moment.”

The emotionless voice that had remained calm throughout the battle was now tinged with feeling.

Longing,

Sadness,

And anger.

Silas’s hands trembled at these familiar emotions he had also experienced.

His head would fall soon.

He had to say it before dying.

‘I’m sorry.’

For taking away what was precious to Ria,

For dragging her into the cycle of revenge,

For ultimately taking her life.

Just as Ria had apologized to him, he too needed to apologize to Pedro…

‘My mouth… won’t move.’

I am a coward until the end.

As Silas resigned himself to waiting for death.

*Thud.*

Pedro released him and said,

“I’ll forgive you anyway.”

“……?”

An unexpected situation.

“……What is this?”

As the confused Silas hesitantly approached, Pedro calmly added,

“Honestly, I want to kill you too.”

“Then kill me!!”

“But I think that would make Ria sad.”

A terribly expressionless face.

A faint smile appearing over it.

“Ria said so. That she’d like me to forgive you. That’s how I could live as Pedro, not as a demon.”

The demon felt emotion.

“Honestly, I don’t really understand. But I think Ria would have liked this. So just go. At least pay for your sins in Ilsik and die alone on your own terms.”

He was no longer a demon, but a person.

“Okay? I’m leaving.”

A casual gesture.

Pedro turned away like that.

The conversation he had with Ria flashed through the stunned Silas’s mind.

-Do you know? Pedro might be your salvation.

A demon trusted another demon, and a demon repaid that trust.

“……Perhaps I was the real demon.”

Silas sank to the ground.

The silent calamity.

A man who remained silent, unable to make excuses because of the great sins he had committed.

Though it seemed he had shouldered an even heavier burden rather than salvation,

“……You win, Ria.”

His shoulders felt a little lighter.

# 2.

Jangseung.

The most honorable official position protecting the Eastern Continent, possessing power equivalent to an entire legion alone.

December’s Calamity—Cheonmyeong was the greatest among all historical Jangseungs.

He always walked the righteous path and never even looked at the wrong one.

He used the authority granted by the Jangseung’s token only for minimal food, clothing, and shelter.

Essentially, he was the most reliable warrior who protected the Eastern Continent without any compensation.

Hanryang respected such a Cheonmyeong.

He had vowed that if he became a Jangseung, he would try to follow at least half of what that man did.

That’s why he was angry.

For what reason,

“[You, who was respected even by His Majesty, why have you become Ilsik’s dog!!!]”

*BOOM!!*

Hanryang’s fist came down violently.

Cheonmyeong, who easily avoided it, finally opened his mouth after a long silence.

“I became this way because of resentment.”

“[…What?]”

“I resented that we always had to disappear like this, we wanted to live too… so we struggled desperately to survive.”

Why,

“Does that disgust you?”

.

.

.

【Warning.】

【This body has consumed all germination counts (3/3) of the Seed of Destruction.】

【<???? ?? ??> shares the body of <Cheonmyeong(SSS+)>.】

【The body’s rank increases.】

【<Cheonmyeong(SSS+)> → <Cheonmyeong(Ex)>】

【We, who have become remnants of the Abyss, envy and resent ‘you’ so much.】