Ch.28795. Either Fall or Dominate.

“Master, what do you plan to do after defeating my father?”

Though Luirin would have grown much more if she were human, perhaps due to her inherent bloodline, despite her growth, she still maintained an appearance that seemed capable of childish whims.

“…I wonder.”

What I need to do is clear, but it’s more like I’m being pushed into it rather than something I desire.

The Demon World Tree, the War God, and that other me from the other world who came before—that damned so-called Emperor who declared war on me.

Besides that…

“It may be futile, but we must still fulfill the duty we were born with.”

“Duty of birth? What’s that?”

Luirin tilted her head and asked.

“Leaving a legacy for those who remain.”

“A legacy?”

“…I intend to open a path that leads here.”

“What kind of path?”

“…”

It will be more hellish than any other path.

Certainly a long journey far removed from heaven.

“True freedom.”

Freedom.

The way for us to live according to our own will, regardless of our relationship with the world.

…Everything needed for that.

“Hmm… I don’t understand.”

“Perhaps that’s for the best.”

To me, the world is a realm of needles or thorny vines.

A place where no matter where you go, your body gets cut, pierced, and scratched…

Without even a space to lie down comfortably…

A space more terrible than a barren wasteland.

Surely there are creatures that survive or depend on such thorny vines.

But not me.

I will not be one of them.

“Even if life is often arduous, if one can feel a bit of joy in this world, if one can experience happiness… perhaps there’s meaning in living.”

“You’re speaking difficult words again. Isn’t it enough to just eat delicious food when hungry and do whatever you want? Isn’t that sufficient for living in this world?”

“…”

That’s right.

It’s absolutely correct, but…

“I no longer have anything that could be called meaningful.”

“What? Why? Master, you’re still young, aren’t you? With such power at that age, couldn’t you do anything?”

“Because there’s no meaning in doing anything.”

Honor? Power? Wealth?

Greater strength? Truth? Knowledge?

…I don’t need them.

I don’t understand why anyone would want them in the first place.

What I need is nothing special.

“…”

Eternal rest.

To fall into eternal rest where no one can disturb me.

We are destined to be unable to freely execute even our own destruction or annihilation.

The principles and structures of the world, under the pretext of divine love and consideration, have led us to wander and roam eternally.

Some might say that death not being the end is hope.

…But to me, it’s a curse.

Why were we thrown into such shackles?

“…”

Or even if we could escape those shackles and enter a realm where life is celebrated in its truest sense—

That is, even if we could enter the true world.

The pain would still remain.

Athena and other old gods snickered, saying that by enduring pain, one can experience greater pleasure.

…To me, they’re all mad.

This world is like pieces laid out on a board.

Isn’t it just a game where they move back and forth?

Or wasn’t it? Was it actually not much different?

Sharpening a sword.

Or walking the path of magic, never stopping as you anticipate its end.

To me, all of these seem…

Trivial, vulgar… like mirages.

Why pursue such things?

“If that’s really the case, why has Master lived so diligently?”

“…Because without proving our worth, we cannot be guaranteed freedom.”

Damn it all.

“We who are bound to our physical bodies are like slaves who cannot shake off our desires. Yet those desires are what make us who we are.”

…While at the same time, they degrade us to less than slaves.

Duality.

The most fundamental principle that constitutes the world.

Relativity.

The principle that keeps the world moving forward without stagnation.

And countless other principles, rules, and laws that apply and keep the world turning… that is the world.

“I think Master makes everything complicated by overthinking.”

“…”

“Can’t you just live comfortably and happily?”

“I don’t know.”

I don’t know how.

How that’s possible.

“Master, it’s because you’ve given up everything else to defeat my father. So… once you accomplish that goal, why not seriously consider moving in that direction?”

“…”

I am neither a slave to happiness nor a slave to life that others constantly proclaim.

I don’t understand why I should strive and struggle for such things.

“The problem is that you keep your heart closed. You need to live comfortably… with an open heart. That’s what you need, Master.”

“…”

“As a warrior? As a knight, such a mindset might be right, but after the war ends… your mind and body won’t survive if you continue like this.”

“…It’s not an easy thing.”

Golden taught me that way.

Every life I’ve lived has told me so.

So to abandon this way of life now…

“Master, didn’t I tell you this before?”

Even adults can have poorer sense of direction than local children in unfamiliar places.

“That there’s nothing shameful about asking what you don’t know?”

“…”

It’s just that I’m not interested.

“You might not even know what you don’t know yet, right? The world might be much better than you think?”

“…”

I don’t feel a reason why it should improve.

I’ve just been pushed along by situations and events pressing from behind, reluctantly carried to this point.

“Then are you saying you didn’t become this strong by your own will?”

“…”

“You spoke of freedom, but giving up on life isn’t true freedom, is it?”

“Appropriate surrender at the right time is…”

“Ah, enough! You’re about to say something difficult or strange again!”

“…”

“Anyway, just stay safe and sound.”

Or could it be that Master…

“You’re not trying to harm yourself as revenge because you can’t harm my father, are you?”

“…”

“Don’t forget that there are now many people who follow and worry about you.”

…I know.

That’s why I’m trying to open a path.

If I had become strong alone, without any connection to anything else, and reached this situation by myself.

I would have let go without any lingering attachment…

====

“In various hero myths, I find it quite regrettable that their endings are often not good.”

While Philbar rubbed his smooth skin with white gloves and played with a quill pen,

Zora, half-leaning against the window and watching outside, reflexively frowned, thinking, ‘There he goes talking nonsense again.’

“Of course, tragedy as a subject is eternally adorned in our hearts, so it’s not a bad production!”

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

“Where do you think life’s attachments originate from, my foolish little sister!”

“Do you want to die?”

Cracking her finger joints covered in black gloves with threatening force, Zora glared with a smiling face.

“Selfish creatures desire to live for their own pleasure, entertainment, desires, and achievements. On the other hand, altruistic ones…”

Often live because they can’t die, burdened by those who depend on them.

“Which side do you think Kariel belongs to?”

“…You and your temperament. But do you really think he didn’t know about such intentions?”

“My little sister, these are things one cannot prevent even when aware.”

Because!

“It’s an arrangement composed of my infinite love and passion! Such consideration and goodwill!”

“…”

Shooting a subtle glance of contempt, Zora eventually sighed and looked outside again.

There was a massive arena dyed in gold, and even its surroundings were casually colored in the golden realm.

And there were countless people who had not yet gone mad.

“Still… Wisdom seems to have something different about her.”

“In what way?”

“…Among the Dark Lord’s disciples and his servants, she was the only one who never hated or opposed him, wasn’t she? How was that possible?”

How could someone with such dignity and presence tolerate a being who so casually diminished their existence?

In the demon realm, truly respecting and revering someone is no easy feat.

In the end, even he was nothing more than a tyrant who restricted and oppressed their rights.

He could be nothing more or less than that.

Because in their world, being commanded by someone was something to be repelled and defeated… like a common enemy.

Malice rather than goodwill.

Selfishness rather than altruism.

“My little sister, being special means being different from others. Being heterogeneous means one can never blend in but must always stand alone in solitude.”

And those who are solitary…

“Either fall or rule. For them, even if they get beaten to death… there are only these two options. Unlike us, who can swallow bitter water and smile even when our guts are churning—they are completely different creatures.”

“So you’re saying they’re special?”

“Incompetent anomalies have historically never chosen anything but downfall.”

In a way.

“Wasn’t Kariel in a similar situation?”

“Hmm.”

“In the end, he chose to rule rather than fall.”

And we like such special, unique, and different stories.

“Whether the ending is tragic or comic… or neither, I don’t know.”

The sound of the pen stops, giving way to silence.

“Isn’t it good, after all? Stories like this.”

Breaking the world of parents.

The moment when a weak child tries to stand alone no matter what.

“…Hmm, is this not right?”

“…”

Zora sighed, covering her forehead.

Time flows on.

Even if this place seems cozy and distant.

Somewhere, intense situations are unfolding one after another, where one second feels like a minute.

====

Due to the excessive flames rising from one part of the imperial palace, magicians were urgently dispatched to extinguish the fire using all kinds of magic.

…But the raging flames continued to burn vigorously as if unaffected by such attempts.

The strange thing was that the flames were not spreading or infecting other parts of the building.

“Could that be from that person…?”

And everyone there knew very well who could handle such fire, better than anyone else.

Above all, the starting point of the flames was precisely ‘that place.’

Everyone watching could only stamp their feet anxiously, with no other solution than to observe the scene.

And at some point.

…As if extinguished in an instant, the raging flames that had been burning across a vast area suddenly went dormant.

“…”

At that moment.

She, who had been lying on the bed… slowly opened her eyes.

The golden bloodline possessing the highest and noblest lineage within the empire.

And.

The empire’s irreplaceable treasure, expected to inherit the great empire and ascend as the rightful emperor someday.

She was calmly opening her eyes wide.