Ch.232The Empress (3)

I could vaguely sense what answer the Empress wanted.

She surely wanted a strategy that only Llewellyn could devise—something neither the Empress nor Netel could think of.

But Llewellyn wasn’t that kind of person.

He wasn’t a hero who dedicated his life to defeating the Demon King, nor was he a legendary figure who solved trials in myths with brilliant and innovative methods.

Llewellyn was just a boy. Though he had consumed many forms of media, he was an ordinary person who had never truly come up with anything on his own.

He had no creative or ingenious thoughts. It would be the same now. At least, that’s what Llewellyn thought of himself.

But the Empress, who held Llewellyn’s hand with Melodina and gazed at him expectantly with her multi-colored eyes, didn’t think so.

“The Star wanted me to choose ascension and be devoured.”

“What did it offer in return?”

“It said it would protect the world.”

“Isn’t that essentially the same as Mother’s proposal?”

The Empress tilted her head with a soft chuckle.

As she said, the Star’s and Netel’s proposals were essentially the same.

The only difference was who would devour him and who would use him. Even from a preference standpoint, it was the same.

Being taken by Netel or being taken by the Star—for Llewellyn, there was no difference.

But having heard the story, he couldn’t help but consider it. If Llewellyn truly had no choice and had to pick one of them, which would be better?

‘The Star might be the relatively better choice… or maybe not.’

He wasn’t certain. In fact, nothing was certain.

The Star was fundamentally a transcendent being, a mentally unstable entity who had devoured the Fire God and now believed itself to be the Fire God.

Netel was a madwoman whose methods were distasteful from the start.

If he had to choose between a madman and a madwoman, either choice would be ambiguous.

The fortunate thing was that the Empress seemed displeased with the idea of choosing Netel.

‘Though I don’t know why.’

It wasn’t something that could be explained as a different form of loyalty.

When asked about which transcendent being she served, she honestly said she served Netel, yet she seemed to hope that Netel wouldn’t win.

Because of this, Llewellyn couldn’t understand the Empress well.

Even focusing on how to avoid the current situation, he didn’t know what the right answer was.

And Llewellyn was someone who wasn’t ashamed to admit when he didn’t know something.

“I don’t understand you.”

The Empress’s eyes gazed steadily at Llewellyn. Despite her veil, her eyes and face remained uncovered.

“If you serve Netel, why don’t you want Netel to win? Normally, you’d want Netel to win, even if you had to tell me a convincing lie.”

“…Is it okay to ask such things to my face?”

It was Melodina who answered, not the Empress. Melodina looked quite anxious.

“As the baby bird said, is it okay to ask such things?”

“What’s wrong with asking? You don’t kill me even when I call you grandmother and provoke you.”

“Perhaps I’m sparing you because you truly seem like a grandson.”

“Then I hope you’ll spare this too, as if I were your grandson.”

Llewellyn spoke boldly, and the Empress stared down at him for a moment before smiling.

“I’ll answer just one question. Choose carefully.”

“What is it that you want?”

The Empress didn’t want Netel’s victory. Rather, it felt like she wanted Llewellyn to somehow create confusion and show some wit that would surpass Netel, the Star, and even his father and the transcendent beings.

It wasn’t simply because she enjoyed such things. No matter how much one enjoys something, they don’t gamble with the fate of the world.

That’s how normal humans are. Even if the Empress was said to be unlike humans, Llewellyn had experienced the Lorians.

He had seen the Ortemilians and observed how they thought and moved.

Though they were said to be non-human species, he knew they were essentially no different from humans.

The Empress would be the same. Even if she were a madwoman, that wouldn’t make her completely inhuman, and similarly, even as the head of the three clans, she would retain human aspects.

Even the Fire God, who had become a transcendent being, had faintly retained human aspects.

So Llewellyn asked the Empress.

“Is it world peace?”

The Empress gave an answer that was difficult to take at face value.

Llewellyn, who had asked the question, fell silent, and even Melodina frowned in confusion.

But the Empress spoke confidently and sat down on a chair that had appeared from nowhere, crossing her legs.

The long hem of her dress swept the floor, yet not a speck of dust rose.

She swished a strange tail—from some unknown creature—as she spoke.

“Perhaps I desire the eternal continuation of the world… but want it to happen within human boundaries.”

It wasn’t a definitive answer. It was more like a question. Llewellyn frowned.

“Are you saying you don’t know?”

Though she had stayed to help, Melodina couldn’t follow the conversation. It was a dialogue possible only between one with divinity and the Empress, who possessed a power similar to divinity.

It required intuition, prior knowledge, and a sense close to instinct to keep up.

Melodina narrowed her eyes, trying to help Llewellyn despite her confusion, and the Empress glanced at her before speaking.

“The first necromancer, the first blood clan member, the first shapeshifter. They have something in common.”

The Empress examined her fingernails. They looked like ordinary human nails, but they surely weren’t.

“We were all created with a purpose. Fashioned by Father’s hands, from Mother’s bones, blood, and flesh.”

Llewellyn unconsciously thought of Renia, who was also the first contractor.

If she was the first contractor, then the second was surely his father.

The first contractor of Netel, who later ascended and became a transcendent being himself.

The transcendent being who created mourners.

He lamented and mourned human deaths. Could such a man have been unaware of the “destruction” that even the Empress knew about?

Llewellyn had an intuition.

“Netel cooperated.”

“Perhaps that’s why he came to be called ‘Father’?”

Though phrased as a question, it was as good as a confirmation. Llewellyn nodded, and the Empress pointed to herself with a smile.

“We were each created as experiments to avoid ‘death’ and ‘destruction’ in different ways… but at the same time, we were given new purposes after our creation.”

This was knowledge unknown to anyone, both in the game and in this world. Information readily shared because Llewellyn had the qualification and proof.

Beyond the Empress’s words, Llewellyn could sense Netel.

Netel was accepting Llewellyn as someone she could “converse with.”

Not simply as a tool to devour and use.

It felt like she was acknowledging him as an equal entity who could ask questions, receive answers, and in turn, ask questions and receive answers.

Llewellyn leaned his upper body forward, and the Empress watched him before closing her eyes.

Even through her slightly closed eyelids, chaotic colors swirled.

“The most excellently created ‘first ones’ had value beyond mere experiments.”

“Is that why we’re doing this?”

No answer came. Instead, the Empress changed the subject.

“I’m merely fulfilling my role. Working on a task that’s not yet complete.”

Llewellyn thought of Valterok. The divine warrior who had survived for an immeasurable time for his task and eventually came to Llewellyn.

The Empress’s words felt similar to that.

Llewellyn remained silent, and the Empress began to hum a tune.

It was an unfamiliar melody.

“…It’s the Empire’s song.”

Melodina recognized the tune. Though she seemed weary from the scale of the conversation, she was relieved to recognize the familiar song.

Empire. Llewellyn suddenly thought of someone.

The head of the Empire, said to be modeled after his sister.

Netel’s foremost puppet.

The Empress was clearly urging him to ask about the Emperor. Despite wincing at the realization that he was becoming accustomed to conversing with this “madwoman,” Llewellyn spoke.

“What about the Emperor?”

“Similar, but different.”

“Could he not replace me?”

“If that were possible, it would have been done long ago, instead of trying to persuade our difficult and troublesome grandson.”

That’s what the Empress said. It wasn’t just Netel’s intention. It likely included the Empress’s personal interpretation.

“So, to truly become free, you’re saying I need to complete the task.”

“Grandson calls himself a fool, but he’s easier to talk to than expected. Maybe he’s not such a fool after all.”

The Empress rose from her seat. As she approached slightly, her presence grew more intimidating, and her strange tail—whether snake, crocodile, or dragon—approached like a shadow on the floor.

Llewellyn stared at that tail. A twisted being, created in the image of Netel’s chaos.

That was the Empress. He hadn’t met the other two, but he felt he would soon.

“So, what would you like to do? Shall we go become a well-spread curtain right now?”

Though her words lacked sincerity, Melodina tensed and gripped Llewellyn’s hand tightly. She prepared to unleash her magic at full force, making her magical power boil within.

Ready to pour out all her stored magic with just a whistle, let alone a verse.

Even that might not work, causing Melodina to sweat nervously with a tearful expression.

Llewellyn looked at her. In truth, he had considered it a bit at first.

Perhaps because he grew up without parents and received only his sister’s love, he found joy in being loved, liked, and cared for by others.

Maybe, just maybe, if he sacrificed himself for the world, everyone would mourn him and remember him forever—the thought was somewhat tempting.

But that didn’t last long. Upon reflection, it was too childish.

And after that? Is it right to feel joy watching people mourn for me?

Can I even feel joy in the first place?

Wouldn’t it be better to live together for a long time, be happy, and be grateful that we didn’t have to make such decisions and could be together?

That’s what Llewellyn thought. Seeing Melodina, who was willing to use magic even at the cost of her life for him, strengthened his resolve.

Llewellyn wasn’t smart. He wasn’t knowledgeable or witty.

He hadn’t learned much. He had no knowledge to draw upon.

But Llewellyn enjoyed games. He genuinely enjoyed the world called Grim Darker, loving it beyond his sister’s influence to the point where it became part of his life.

‘Then I should use that.’

Llewellyn ruminated on all the media, games, and various comics he had enjoyed.

“No. I won’t become Netel’s tool. If that was my intention, I would have given up long ago.”

“Then what will you do, grandson?”

The Empress bent her waist with interest. Llewellyn met her gleaming eyes.

“Will you let the Star devour you?”

“I don’t want that either. I won’t surrender my body to the Star.”

“Then what? If you’re just being stubborn about making a decision, you’ll be punished.”

The Empress slightly raised her hand, pretending to hit him. Though it looked simple, it likely carried enough force to kill even Llewellyn if it connected.

And if Llewellyn was truly being stubborn, she might actually kill him.

That wouldn’t be good. Llewellyn smiled faintly.

He soon dropped his smile and spoke. His plan was simple enough to make Melodina gape and the Empress chuckle.

A confusing, seemingly naive strategy that might not work.

But it was an approach the Empress would greatly appreciate.

The Empress led Llewellyn with a satisfied smile.

“Shall we go, then?”

To the place where Llewellyn was created and from which he jumped.

The place where everything began.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the other two will react.”

To the aerial fortress of the three clans.