Ch.218Chapter 218. To the Empire

A square located in the center of Briton.

Amid the murmuring crowd gathered there, I took a moment to compose myself while looking up at the podium prepared before me.

It’s inevitably nerve-wracking.

What I’m about to tell them is something that would justify resentment from those who trusted me and came to the ark.

“So, you’ve finally made your decision.”

Yet as I prepared to take the podium, a familiar voice came from behind me.

Turning toward it, I found myself face to face with Boduoin, who had arrived with Annabelle Britannia.

“Did you have a good talk?”

“Yes, thanks to your unnecessary meddling, I had plenty of pointless conversation.”

Haha, despite saying that, he showed no signs of returning after accepting the conversation until now.

Thinking he’s still not being honest with himself, I received Annabelle into my body and quietly faced Boduoin.

“…Thank you. For providing me with this opportunity.”

Though he was nothing but a skeleton without flesh, he appeared much more at ease than during our first meeting.

“I’m glad your conversation with Annabelle seems to have helped.”

“Yes, thanks to that, I’ve been able to decide how to continue this second life of mine.”

Boduoin conveyed his sincere gratitude.

His intention was clearly to follow a path of his own will to save the living, unlike when he served the Lord of Corpses.

Clasping his hand to express my respect, I briefly told him what I intended to do.

“I’m planning to leave this place soon.”

Trusting in his resolve to help humanity.

Knowing I would be imposing on him by shifting my responsibilities to his shoulders.

“I’ll try to return, but… things don’t always go as planned.”

Yes, if things go wrong, what was meant to be temporary could become eternal.

That’s what I was planning to do.

Something utterly selfish that might push many who depend on me into an abyss of despair.

“May I entrust my absence to you?”

“…If that is also my mission.”

Even if criticism comes my way, I’ll have to accept it willingly, but he firmly grasped my hand as if respecting my wishes.

Having secured someone to take my place after I leave.

Gratefully accepting his intention, I turned away from him and prepared to meet the adjutant who had come for me.

“Hero, everyone has gathered.”

Adjutant Sanson.

A loyal subordinate who has faithfully assisted me while managing the ark.

“I see.”

I tried to pass by him, who still believed in and followed me, to ascend the podium, but soon my heart sank, causing me to pause in my steps.

“…Sanson.”

Without facing him, I called his name and took a moment to express my inner thoughts.

“The speech I’m about to give might disappoint you and the expedition members who have followed me.”

It’s cowardly, if anything.

What I’m doing now is essentially announcing that I’m going to commit a sin without even looking the other person in the face.

“Whatever it is, you must have good reason, Hero.”

“Even if it means betraying the Empire?”

Yes, what I’m doing now is tantamount to betraying the Empire.

Given that, he might feel betrayed as an Imperial soldier, but there was no reproach in his voice directed at me.

“…You must have sensed it too. That the Empire has already reached its limit.”

Whether to drown with the Empire that has reached its limit, or to betray them to achieve one’s goals.

Revealing that he had been conflicted about this all along, he began to share the decision he had reached.

“Having failed to return to the Empire, we have chosen to follow you now. So please don’t feel burdened, and honestly tell everyone what you intend to do.”

“…Alright.”

I’m grateful to him for understanding me.

Keeping that gratitude silently within me, I turned away from him and quietly headed toward the podium to prepare to stand before the public.

One step at a time.

Spreading the sound of my mana-infused footsteps to the crowd, focusing their attention.

“May I have everyone’s attention.”

As my voice burst forth, the murmuring subsided.

With all eyes on me, I first posed a prepared question to them.

“If there’s anyone here who doesn’t know me, please raise your hand.”

“……”

Silence fell over the scene.

Not a single person raised their hand.

This is quite unusual, considering that even within a specific group, many people might not know someone they haven’t directly encountered.

But my ability creates an absolute exception to this.

Once someone becomes aware of my existence, they never forget me, making it easier to maintain group cohesion around me as a focal point.

“…Yes, I am Hyoseong Woo.”

Indeed, as Irie said, as Virgil… and as that prince said.

With the Empire as a reference point soon to disappear, I am perhaps the most suitable person to bring people together.

“A hero who came to this world from another world, and like all of you, I’ve built bonds with companions and created a family in this world.”

Realizing this at this moment, I accepted the focused gazes upon me and began reciting the speech I had been rehearsing.

“We have all been fighting desperately to survive.”

I began with something everyone present could relate to.

“Leaving the homes we’ve cultivated and choosing to venture into dangerous territories… these were decisions we could make only because we believed that the chaos in our homeland would eventually end.”

Mentioning the thread-like hope held by those who reluctantly left their homes, I prepared to probe their true feelings.

“But everyone, what I’m about to tell you might seem utterly hopeless to those of you who desire peace.”

Yes, that’s what I was about to do.

Brutally crushing their expectation that this tragedy would soon end and they could return to their homes.

“As the riots in the Empire continue to intensify, a major invasion by the Demon Lord’s army is imminent.”

As the main point followed, silence fell over the scene, then ripples spread through the square, which eventually filled with murmurs.

This is only natural.

With the Empire already in turmoil due to riots, the news that the worst calamity threatening humanity is approaching is essentially announcing impending doom.

“Everyone, can you be certain that the current Empire, which can’t even properly suppress a riot, will be able to withstand an invasion by the Demon Lord’s army?”

But no matter how desperate it seems, turning away from it would ultimately become torture disguised as hope.

In a world soon to be filled with even greater despair, we must not turn away from what is already destined to happen.

“Yes, that’s right. The Empire will soon fall.”

So I forced them to face reality.

“The homeland we’ve been trying to protect… will soon reach its limit and walk a path from which there is no return.”

While hiding that the God of Destruction would descend upon the Empire, I tried to convince them by telling them the outcome that everyone could predict.

“But everyone, does the fall of the Empire mean the end of everything?”

And what followed was about what would happen after the worst they had imagined.

“I don’t think so.”

If there is a will to survive, one must cultivate the heart to prepare for it.

“You all left the Empire in search of a place to live, and despite facing terrible dangers, you struggled desperately to reach the ark I lead. Even after encountering monsters we couldn’t handle, you didn’t give up and managed to survive until now.”

Even if the Empire falls, it doesn’t mean the end of everything.

Even if an era of nothingness unfolds, the world will continue, and as long as the world continues, everyone will search for hope to survive.

“I’m sure everyone listening to my speech right now realizes that this will happen again… and that we need to prepare ourselves for it.”

Then what is needed to maintain that hope?

Should we be satisfied with just finding a new place to live with the people here and leading the ark away?

“But I am afraid.”

While that might objectively be the right answer, I wanted to express my weakness before them.

“Having foreseen the imminent fall of the Empire, I fear what will happen after abandoning everything there and leaving.”

I wanted to reveal that despite pursuing a greater cause, I too am human and susceptible to selfishness.

“With the Demon Lord’s army’s invasion not yet fully underway… is it truly right to abandon the friends, neighbors, and family left in the Empire?”

While I couldn’t force them, I appealed to their humanity, their morality.

And perhaps to what might be called selfishness.

“After reluctantly deciding to abandon them, can you guarantee that you won’t abandon the people around you who are listening to these words right now?”

By seeking more allies for the future, we must prove to each other that we won’t abandon those by our side.

With so many such people still remaining in the Empire, I wanted to convey that it’s not necessarily the right answer for just us to escape.

“I too have someone precious to me. Someone so precious that I would give my life to protect… who is still in the Empire.”

As I continued my confession, unable to hide my selfishness, the murmuring subsided and their gazes turned toward me.

How would they receive these words?

Me, who would head to a place soon to become a sea of fire to meet just one precious person…

“And as soon as the ark’s maintenance is complete… I plan to lead it toward the Empire.”

With the Empire’s fall imminent.

How would those seeking salvation receive me, who would take away their last bastion of protection?

“Those who wish to join me in this dangerous journey, please board the ark before departure. Those who don’t, please remain here and focus on survival until we return.”

But the die has already been cast.

Whatever judgment comes afterward, I must bear it.

Deeply reminding myself of this, I turned away from them and prepared to cement my resolve.

“…Please make a choice you won’t regret.”

Perhaps abandoning my role as the focal point of the group, perhaps taking away their last hope.

And furthermore, preparing to lead those who follow me into hell.

****

And, half a day later.

Approaching the dwarves who had just completed the final maintenance of the ark, I couldn’t help but question their opinion conveyed to me.

“Are you really sure you want to come along?”

“Of course. There’s hardly a part of this ark that hasn’t been touched by our hands. Who would maintain it if we weren’t there?”

“We’ve already prepared for the danger. If danger is everywhere, it’s better to be inside a fortress that we’ve worked on.”

Even so, we’re heading to a place where the Demon Lord’s army will soon invade.

Are they really confident they won’t regret this decision?

“We’re coming too.”

But it wasn’t just the dwarves who had decided to join.

Soon, Coco, the representative of the bird tribe, with the underground people on his shoulder, began to share their opinions with me.

“Since coming to this nest, all our kind have been able to rest comfortably. And we don’t forget favors. You helped us, so we’ll help you.”

“Woo-hyo saved us too, retzi! So we’ll save Woo-hyo too, retzi!”

Is it their loyalty and gratitude, and their determination to face danger together to protect their home?

I began to realize how precious the ark was to them, and how terrible what I was doing by taking it away.

That if things go wrong, it won’t just be me who dies.

“Hero, I’ve gathered all the volunteers.”

As I was contemplating this, armed soldiers began approaching the front of the ark.

Realizing that no one was missing, with Sanson at the lead, I painfully expressed my concern to them.

“Are all of you planning to come?”

“As soldiers, it’s only natural for us to participate in rescue operations.”

“Although the Empire may fall… we sympathize with your desire to save as many people as possible.”

Yes, they are warriors who have fought for humanity from the beginning.

It might be natural that they all want to participate in a journey to save people.

But it’s different for the people behind them.

The refugees gradually gathering numbered more than half of the total.

I was taken aback by the larger-than-expected crowd, but each of their eyes reflected resolve and determination.

“With so many people to rescue, don’t we need all the help we can get?”

“My colleagues are still imprisoned in the Empire…”

“My family and disciples must still be in the Empire.”

“If it weren’t for you, Hero, we wouldn’t have survived. So even if we can’t fight directly, we can at least help with odd jobs!”

The refugees each expressed their reasons.

None of them blamed me.

Beyond respecting my choice, they seemed to believe it was right to follow my intentions as expressed in my previous speech.

“You weren’t planning to leave us behind, were you?”

And another group arrived behind them.

Feeling a sense of familiarity from them, an indescribable warmth began to fill my heart.

“Jaseong hyung, Garam.”

“After you didn’t abandon me, you don’t think I’d abandon you, do you, oppa?”

Jaseong, who has always been proactive in such situations, and Garam, who long ago shed her initial powerless appearance.

Although I’m still worried, since we’ve decided to rely on each other, we need to boldly accept help in situations like this.

As I was trying to accept this, voices calling for me came from those who had entered the inner part of the ark.

“Hyoseong-ssi, are you ready?”

Merilyn Sutherland.

My lover who cares only for me and has vowed to share her fate with me.

“I will join you as well. For my mission, I cannot simply watch the Empire fall.”

Francesca.

A guardian who is content with loving humans and has devoted everything to humanity.

“…Come to think of it, the armor you’re wearing now is quite worn out.”

And Tashian.

My family, whom I’ve come to accept as a mother in this world.

“With so many people, we’ll need quite a lot of equipment. Don’t you think it’s necessary to bring along at least one craftsman?”

Although she has lost all her prime power, she too is expressing her will to join me.

I have too many sins against her to refuse her intention.

Since I am the one who extended her lifespan when she should have disappeared from this world long ago, it is my duty to respect her wishes.

“…Now that everyone who’s coming has gathered, let’s depart.”

Realizing that everyone’s intentions had gathered here, I stood at the head of the group and firmly stated as we entered the ark.

The destination we would soon be heading to.

“Let’s go, to the Empire.”

And the fact that everyone gathered here would, for their own purposes.

By their own will, step directly into danger.