Chapter 221 – Lucia (4)

Ṛεɑ​ԁ ​ｏɴ ǨａｔŔ​ｅａｄıɴ​ǵＣɑｆ​ｅ

Time is relative.

Even if the flow of time is the same, each person experiences it differently.

When you’re having fun, it flies by in the blink of an eye.

When you’re struggling, it feels like the second hand of the clock has stopped.

When you want it to pass quickly, it feels unbearably slow.

When you want the moment to last forever, it slips away too fast, leaving you frustrated.

For Lucia, time felt like the former.

It passed so quickly that before she knew it, it was the end of her second-year winter break.

Two years. Short, yet long. So much had happened during that time. A series of unprecedented events that couldn’t simply be brushed off as “a lot of things.” 

Looking back now that everything was over, she couldn’t help but think, ‘We really made it through, didn’t we?’

Graduation from the academy was a year away.

But Lucia no longer had a reason to stay at the academy.

After all, the war with the monsters had ended.

The Four Seasons had made the right choice.

Choosing Eugene as the hero had been the best decision.

His awakening had finally brought the long war to an end.

Lucia reflected on the past two years. Compared to the journey she had taken as Saintess Lucille to save the world, it was a short time. 

But it had been just as tumultuous. No, in some ways, it had been even harder. In those two short years, a series of intense trials had come one after another.

From the very first field training, monsters had broken out, causing chaos.

The Supernaturals Liberation Front had carried out various acts of terrorism.

The seventh demonic beast had descended, engulfing the world in flames.

Devil gods had risen. Those who had taken over human bodies unleashed their wrath without restraint.

The Great Calamity had begun again. Despair rained down from the shattered sky.

It was an era of chaos. Reminiscent of the time when humanity had been helplessly pushed back by the monsters’ advance.

An era of turmoil. The fragile peace had crumbled, and humanity once again trembled in the face of extinction.

But as always.

In times of chaos, heroes are born.

When she had decided to spread her blessings across the world to mass-produce supernaturals, she had thought: ‘Our generation isn’t the only special one. The next generation will surely give rise to new heroes.’ 

And she had been right. In the midst of crisis, heroes had risen like stars, illuminating the darkest night.

Eugene and the others had awakened.

The adults, including the captains, had fought valiantly.

They had defeated the rogue factions that had fallen into twisted ideologies.

They had exterminated the monsters that had poured down like rain.

They had slain the demonic beasts and even conquered the devil gods.

“You slaves of the Four Seasons, burdened with original sin!”

The noble prince, Agares.

The leader of the hardliners and the devil god who hated humanity the most.

He poured out his hatred until the very end.

He hated the Four Seasons, hated humans, hated the entire world.

The hatred that had accumulated over countless ages had turned into a curse, consuming even Agares himself.

“What do you know! What do you know about how we felt, driven out! Our desire to reclaim our stolen homeland!”

The second-in-command of the devil gods.

He was terrifyingly strong.

Now she understood why Amon had said she couldn’t win alone.

“If we can’t reclaim it, we’ll destroy it all! If we can’t have it, neither can you! Return to nothingness with the ashes!”

When Yoo-seong had been banished beyond the dimensions by Agares’ trap, the future had seemed bleak. 

They had managed to defeat the other devil gods, but Agares was on a different level. They couldn’t win. 

The captains of the Celestial Corps were no match for him. Lucia couldn’t do anything either.

Even in her prime, her chances of winning wouldn’t have been high, let alone now, when she had lost most of her power.

But in the end, they had prevailed.

Eugene had undergone the process of incarnation and fully awakened.

A successor who surpassed the previous generation.

Eugene had become the strongest hero, surpassing even Yoo-seong.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know how you feel. I don’t even know what’s right or wrong.”

Flames surged.

With golden eyes half-open.

Eugene spoke with unwavering resolve.

“But there’s something I want to protect. I have no intention of joining you in your mutual destruction. This is goodbye. You’ll be the only one returning to nothingness.”

A single strike, splitting the world.

Drawing a new boundary between heaven and earth.

Even Agares’ final desperate struggle was cut in two.

And so, everything came to an end.

The invasion from the other dimension was over.

With Agares’ death, no more rifts in space-time opened.

The truth this fact revealed was simple.

Amon had kept her promise.

The promise he had made that day: ‘If Agares is gone, the war can be stopped.’

Bael had risen because the majority had willed it.

In other words, if the opposition to the war had surpassed the majority, Bael would not have moved.

Yes, the war was over.

Though the cost had been great.

The war that had lasted 300 years had finally come to an end.

Of course, not everyone had been saved. 

Many heroes had died.
Carlos from Class D had died heroically while fighting to evacuate people.
Captain Kallad of the 2nd Division had faced Agares alone and, in exchange for his life, had severed Agares’ arm.
Johan, the Knight of Light, had died standing.
Captains Karma and Azazel of the 4th and 5th Divisions had perished alongside Murmur, leaving not even a corpse behind.

Many other members of the Celestial Corps had also fallen.

They had burned their lives without hesitation for the future of humanity.

That was why the victory humanity had achieved was all the more precious.

It proved that their sacrifices had not been in vain.

Though the war was over, the problems that lay ahead were mountainous. The shattered social infrastructure needed to be rebuilt, and the lands beyond the borders, once demonic realms, had to be reclaimed. 

The list went on and on. They would be busy for a long time. The students couldn’t just leave everything to the adults. Their faces had become widely known due to their active roles in the war. They had become symbols of the new era.

At this rate, it was doubtful whether she could return to being Lucille. Lucia had become too well-known. 

Could she really come out now and say, Actually, I’m Sister Lucille, who died seven years ago during the Great Calamity?

 Lucia decided to put off this problem for later. She would think about it after graduation.

“Ah, Eugene. You’re here?”

“S-sorry! I called you here, but I ended up being late!”

“No, it’s fine. You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”

At the fountain in the academy’s inner park.

Lucia waved her hand with a smile as Eugene came running, out of breath.

Eugene had been working day and night recently. If there was one person who had stood out the most in the war, it was undoubtedly Eugene. 

As a result, society had high expectations for him as a hero. He had become a sort of figurehead and a key player in reclaiming the borders. 

Although the rifts in space-time no longer opened, the monsters that had already crossed over still remained. The war might be over, but the cleanup was far from finished.

The Heavenly God.

Just as Yoo-seong had been called the God of War.

Now people called Eugene the Heavenly God.

Eugene had clicked his tongue at such a grandiose title.

Previously, his title had been the God of Combat. Eugene had been deeply uncomfortable with a title that compared him to the commander. 

But after witnessing his final battle with Agares, people had trembled in awe. The sight of him drawing a new boundary between heaven and earth had reminded them of the gods of the Four Seasons. 

The aftermath had even covered the entire sky, allowing everyone in the country to see it. From then on, Eugene’s nickname had become the Heavenly God.

“So, what did you call me here for?”

“Well, you see…”

Eugene scratched the back of his head, trailing off. 

‘Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Eugene this indecisive.’ 

The boy who had once been unreliable had grown remarkably through overcoming trials. The child who had been all determination but lacked the ability to back it up had grown into such an impressive person. 

As someone who had watched the entire process, she felt a renewed sense of emotion. She had worked so hard to ensure Eugene grew up right.

But why was Eugene acting like this?

It was as if he had suddenly reverted to his old self.

It was strange. The way he was avoiding eye contact was odd.

Did he do something wrong without me knowing?

Lucia’s confusion grew like a balloon being filled with air. But she didn’t press him, instead smiling and waiting for Eugene to speak on his own. 

Eugene, who had been fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, tightly closed his eyes. He took a few deep breaths, straightened his shoulders, and opened his eyes again. His blue eyes sparkled.

“The, the weather’s nice today…?”

“There are a lot of dark clouds, though?”

“Ah… right. Haha, so…”

“?”

“Lately, the weather’s been getting a bit warmer…”

“Ah, it’s snowing. The first snow of the year, right?”

“…”

“Ehehe, no wonder there were so many clouds. Isn’t it pretty?”

Lucia caught the falling snowflakes with both hands, laughing brightly like a child.

Eugene let out a deep sigh. He was starting to worry. He was rambling nonsensically. Had he been under too much stress from working nonstop? J

ust as concern began to show in Lucia’s eyes, Eugene clenched his fists. He lifted his head and spoke in a clearer voice than before.

“Lucia, I guess beating around the bush doesn’t suit me.”

“Huh?”

“So I’ll just say it straight.”

The white snow fluttered down. Winter. It was a meaningful season for her. The important changes in her life had always happened in winter. 

The first time she met Yoo-seong, the time she traveled to another world with her comrades, and the time she parted ways with Yoo-seong—it had always been winter. 

Eugene’s figure was reflected in Lucia’s pink eyes. Amid the snowflakes swirling like cherry blossoms, Eugene spoke.

“I like you.”

“…Huh, what?”

“I like you.”

“As… as a friend…?”

“Of course not. I like you as a man.”

“…”

Lucia couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t speak. Her lips were sealed. The cold winter wind mixed with snow brushed against her collar. 

But she didn’t feel cold. Her face was burning red. Ah, uh, huh? The only words she managed to utter were incoherent mumbles. 

A confession? From who? Eugene? To whom? To me?

“I don’t know when I started liking you. I just realized one day that I already did.”

“Huh, huh…”

“I tried to think about why once, but I realized it was pointless and stopped.”

“W-wait, hold on…”

“What’s important is that my heart is filled with you, Lucia.”

No. My head’s going to explode. Eugene’s the one confessing, so why am I the one feeling confused?

Lucia shook her head vigorously, signaling him to stop. No. She couldn’t accept it. Because, you see, Eugene is Yoo-seong’s descendant. He’s the descendant of the person I love. And the age difference between us? 

Even if most of my time was spent asleep and my physical age is similar to Eugene’s, if you count the years since I was born, I’m over 200 years old!

I lived in the same era as Yoo-seong. I’m Eugene’s distant ancestor. Even though most of that time was spent asleep and my body is around the same age as Eugene’s, still…

“Eugene, I…”

“You have someone you like, right?”

“Yes. I… huh?”

“I know. I know you like the commander.”

“Ah, if you know… then why…?”

Why confess when you know you’ll be rejected?

Why confess to a woman who loves someone else, knowing it’ll only hurt…?

“Because I like you.”

Eugene answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I love you. Truly.”

“I, I…”

“So this is a declaration.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll drive out the commander who’s taken your heart…”

Eugene took a step closer.

Lucia looked into his blue eyes.

Eyes that resembled Yoo-seong’s. Eyes that were different from his.

Her own face was reflected in those eyes.

“And I’ll take your heart for myself.”

“Ah, uh, huh…”

“No matter what, I can’t let my ancestor take the woman I love, right?”

He said it like a joke, but Lucia realized.

Eugene’s words were sincere.

Completely, utterly sincere.

That’s why Lucia couldn’t say anything.

Since when had Eugene liked me?

Wait, even he said he didn’t know, so let’s move on.

Saying you’ll make me fall for you is ridiculous.

There’s no way my feelings for Yoo-seong would change.

He’s my hero.

The hero who changed my stagnant life.

The one who stole my heart at first sight…

So… I should… reject him…

It’s a nuisance, so stop…

“Just wait. I’ll definitely make you fall for me.”

Despite Eugene’s bold declaration, Lucia couldn’t respond. The words bubbling up inside her were stuck in her throat, unable to come out. 

Her face was burning. Lucia covered her face with both hands. The heat filled her palms. Her heart was pounding. 

As she looked at Eugene, who was smiling as if embarrassed, she suddenly realized something. Something so obvious that she hadn’t even noticed it before.

My hero.

That word no longer referred only to Yoo-seong.

There was another hero who had journeyed with her.

Lucia suddenly understood.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Lucille was NTRed, so isn’t it fair for Yoo-seong to be NTRed as well?

Your own saintess is no more…

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Unintended revenge success?