Ch.155Overflowing to the Brim (Complete)

# 1.

Divine Punishment (天伐).

The punishment that heaven bestows upon the wicked.

Originally one of Aria’s main powers, that ability which had lost its strength and been restricted,

“Move aside.”

“…This voice, could it be?”

“I said move.”

【<Divine Punishment (天伐)> is activating.】

Once again manifested in the world through Nahan, who had reappeared.

──!!!

A massive noise overwhelmed the space and a brilliant flash of light that seemed to take everything away.

“『Wa─!!!』”

Struck directly like a lightning rod, Hallorand evaporated without even leaving behind final words.

“…You must feel wronged too.”

A wager due to the abyss’s scheme.

Strictly speaking, Hallorand was also a sacrificial lamb who suffered because of it.

Endless regression.

He struggled desperately to save, but all attempts failed.

So after giving up everything, he began cooperating with the abyss, and what he ultimately desired was not salvation but rest.

But he must have grown greedy.

Unlike the countless other cycles he had experienced, this cycle was leading toward salvation.

As they say, human greed knows no bounds, and people repeat the same mistakes.

As salvation drew closer, his wish for rest likely transformed into wanting to live happily in a saved world.

Knowing he had committed too many evil deeds to achieve that,

-『I can’t… be the… only one… who feels… wronged…?』

He probably chose such a path with a sense of resignation after picking up the abyss.

So of course he would feel wronged.

Because there must be as many cycles where he struggled to save as there are stars in the sky.

Because Hallorand himself merely acquiesced under a fate he could not control.

However,

“Those who didn’t acquiesce and endured are also numerous.”

What distinguishes the righteous from the wicked is a single choice at a certain moment.

One can ask for forgiveness, but sin is defined by the fact that what has been done cannot be undone,

“You’ll have to be satisfied with the oblivion you initially desired.”

Nevertheless, expressing gratitude for the cycles among his many regressions where he was a hero,

Nahan lightly patted Hallorand’s charred shoulder as if to encourage him.

The only being who crossed over from another world and acknowledged efforts that no one else knew about.

…Crumble.

His face, contorted as if wronged, was slightly smoothed by the blowing wind.

Was it just his imagination?

Crackle.

With a faint smile briefly appearing on the face that had been twisted in pain as the final moment, Nahan slowly turned around to face everyone.

Having stayed in this world by borrowing Black Wolf’s body until now, this meeting was the first between Nahan and those who would be saved.

Nahan silently looked back at those who were gazing at him with their respective gazes.

Glances exchanged in silence.

Words didn’t come easily.

Understandably so, as it had been a long time since he had greeted someone in his true form.

‘What kind of greeting should I offer?’

Nahan remained silent for a long while.

# 2.

Silence hung over the center of the imperial palace.

“You must feel wronged too. But those who didn’t acquiesce and endured are also numerous.”

…Crumble.

One who became wicked, crushed by fate.

“You’ll have to be satisfied with the oblivion you initially desired.”

Crackle.

A kind man who remembered even the stories of such a person finally stood before them.

“……”

“……”

Glances exchanged in silence.

Those who had been saved wondered.

‘What should I say?’

The man before them was someone who had been willing to sacrifice his own life for them.

No matter what compensation they offered, they could never properly honor his achievements.

They couldn’t ruin this first meeting with such a person by uttering careless words.

And that wasn’t all.

To Gwangmyeong, he was Ian Red,

To the unit members, he was Black Wolf,

To the imperial family, he was the Yellow Dragon.

Since everyone had treated him differently, even the capable Hestia couldn’t figure out how to approach him and was at a loss.

Of course, there were those who knew his true nature.

Hyeseong, the savior from the previous cycle, who had survived again thanks to Nahan.

However, since it was also Hyeseong who had drawn Nahan into this world and caused his sacrifice, everyone hesitated as if by agreement.

Knowing Nahan’s sacrifice,

Knowing what they had received from him, they became cautious.

As the silence continued and the awkwardness between them deepened,

…Swish.

A woman standing beside the Black Wolf unit members walked toward Nahan.

“Nahan, was it?”

“Ah, yes. I’m Nahan.”

“As you may know, I am Lactea Babylonia.”

It’s always a simple greeting that breaks the awkwardness of a first meeting.

“…Why are you being so formal?”

Just as Nahan’s tension eased thanks to Lactea stepping forward and he smiled awkwardly,

She approached Nahan and carefully embraced him, whispering:

“Right? Between us.”

“…?!”

The warm sensation intensifying through his clothes.

Nahan stiffened in confusion, unable to react, but Lactea continued speaking as if nothing was unusual.

“Thank you for saving me… and everyone in this world. It couldn’t have been easy. Thank you for not giving up until the end.”

“Ah, I… I…”

“From now on, everyone in this world will serve you. This achievement will spread far and wide, and everyone will call you a hero.”

As if refusing to accept any objection, Lactea embraced Nahan more tightly and glanced at those who were hesitating, asking:

“Isn’t that right?”

Though she had stepped down to protect Reina, she too had imperial blood flowing in her veins.

Speaking skillfully to everyone like that, the others who had been frozen finally began to move.

“Of course!! Second Commander!!”

“As expected of a man recognized by the Gardner!!!”

“Warriors, prepare a feast for the savior right now!!!”

Like a dam bursting, praises for the hero poured out all at once.

Nahan finally realized it.

‘I’ve really escaped.’

From that cursed fate that had always followed closely behind him.

From that misfortune that had passed through him to others, he had finally escaped.

How difficult had it been with the approaching misfortunes?

No matter how much he struggled to break through,

No matter how he twisted his body to avoid them,

Even when he tried to pass them on to others.

When he came to his senses, he was always back in misfortune, and he had no choice but to accept such a life.

“Now I’ve truly… completely escaped.”

And so Nahan smiled without realizing it.

To share the overwhelming happiness, he raised his awkwardly positioned hands and gently embraced Lactea.

“Can I… be happy now too?”

The final doubt he couldn’t shake off.

Anxiety unconsciously expressed.

Hearing this, Lactea slightly lifted Nahan’s lowered chin and asked:

“Do you know? When people are too troubled, they hold onto just one precious thing and live to protect only that.”

“…?”

“Both you and I. We’ve surely lived such lives until now.”

A gentle voice, like a whisper.

“But thanks to you, on the day I escaped from misfortune, I realized. No matter what I was holding in my hand, someone was trying to protect me while holding onto me.”

Golden eyes narrowing.

“Thank you. Thanks to you holding onto me, I was able to become happy.”

“I…”

“I know. I was just included in what you were holding, you weren’t holding only me. I wasn’t holding only you either. But…”

Lactea added with warm eyes, unlike her usual cool gaze:

“Now that you’ve shed all your burdens. It’s okay to live holding onto just one thing.”

“Huh?”

“So… to put it more simply──”

Under the moonlight and starlight pouring down for the last time before the sun rose,

“It’s like this.”

Her platinum hair, resembling those lights, momentarily blocked Nahan’s view.

──.

Lips touching softly and then parting.

“…Huh?”

Before he could understand what had happened, the woman who had swiftly passed by covered her red lips slightly and smiled as usual.

“I’m sorry if you disliked it. But… I thought I wouldn’t get another chance like this.”

“No, that, um.”

“Remember. I was the first.”

After finishing her words, Lactea turned her head to look at everyone present.

“Now shall we sort this out?”

A smile as if nothing had happened, yet clearly marking her territory.

“Black Wolf…!!”

“Sister!!!”

Asha’s angry murmur and Reina Babylonia approaching with sudden anger.

“? Where are you going?”

“Let me go, Senior Punisher. No matter if she’s the deputy commander, I can’t lose!”

“…? Ruby?”

“……”

Yuria approaching after shaking off Pedro and Ruby silently leaving Dalan.

“What? What is it!! Me too!!”

“You’re still─a child.”

“Gardner’s─!! …Wait, Hestia?”

“Let go.”

Luna jumping around excitedly and Hestia standing up from her wheelchair to approach.

“Move, Marin.”

“…You move.”

Selena who had already drawn out her exploration threads and Marin hurriedly raising mana, and so on.

After Lactea’s provocation, Nahan couldn’t help but smile at the sight of everyone approaching without any particular order.

After all, weren’t they always the ones with sad faces?

The sight of everyone approaching him after shedding their shadows as if they had never had them was the scene he had wished for more than anything.

From among those approaching him, he asked Hyeseong, his only friend, what he thought would be truly his final question:

“Is it okay for me to be happy?”

To that question, asked as if confirming something he already knew the answer to, from someone who had shed his burdens like those approaching, Hyeseong asked with a mischievous smile:

“Why, are you still not happy enough?”

Though asked in a small voice, the question was clearly heard by everyone.

Nahan too, like Hyeseong, answered loudly enough for everyone to hear:

“No way.”

Shadows disappearing as if they had never existed, melting away in the sun rising from the horizon.

“I’m happy, overflowing with it.”

Nahan smiled.

A bright and clear smile, free from the dark shadows that had always lingered,

Clearly revealed under the brightening dawn.

-『Became the Dark Mastermind of a Dark Fantasy. The End』-