Chapter 44: Moving Forward Unyieldingly #1

Chapter 44: Moving Forward Unyieldingly #1

Inside Michael’s private room, on the king-sized bed.

Anna was buried deep within the cloud-like lightness of the down comforter.

“Kuuu…”

Anna’s sleeping expression was one of utter peace.

Her face was filled with the lingering afterglow of a passionate time spent together.

Those who knew her only as the proud figure of the young genius mage, the Tower Lord of Flame Magic, would never see this face.

Michael quietly got out of the covers without waking Anna and sat on the edge of the bed.

He gazed at Anna, who was completely naked.

‘What is this woman to me?’

A partner to satisfy his desires. That was the first thought that came to mind.

Even the noble hero Michael has male desires.

Anna was sufficient as that partner. No, she was more than sufficient.

But is that all? Is it just such a one-dimensional relationship?

‘She’s also a companion I chose.’

Anna is one of the few companions Michael can trust.

She’s competent enough to meet Michael’s demanding standards, and there is no need to guard against betrayal.

However, even the word ‘companion’ is not enough to describe their relationship.

Then, perhaps-

‘Do I love this woman?’

Michael stared intently at Anna.

He had looked at her for a long time, but no special emotion arose.

At least, that’s what he thought.

Michael doesn’t know the emotion of love.

Of course, he knows the dictionary definition.

He just doesn’t know how that emotion actually works in a human heart or how it manifests.

Although Michael is a hero beloved by all, ironically, he himself doesn’t know how to give love to others.

“Puhu-“

Anna stirred in her sleep. The blanket slipped, revealing her rounded shoulder.

Michael gently covered the fallen blanket and got up from the bed.

Like Anna, his sculpted naked body, exactly as it was in the beginning, slowly walked towards the window.

“…”

Beyond the darkness of the quiet night, the Imperial Palace was visible.

That colossal palace, standing majestically as if looking down upon all the people of the Empire, was higher than the spires that presumptuously worshipped God.

Michael’s gaze turned cold.

‘Love doesn’t matter, whatever it may be. However.’

Michael glared at the Imperial Palace.

‘What do I truly desire? What do I crave, and what do I want to become?’

This is an important question.

Michael, revered as a hero by the world and trusted as the Emperor’s most sacred sword.

No one, except his trusted companions, knows the ambition hidden deep within his heart.

Someday, the Emperor of the Empire would have to hand over the lofty and grand throne to Michael.

‘Will I be satisfied when I ascend to the throne?’

He wanted to think so.

He hoped that this long journey would end by occupying the absolute throne of the Imperial Palace.

‘No.’

Michael knew better than anyone that it was not the end.

Although Michael, who had built thousands, tens of thousands of lies without changing his expression, could not lie to himself.

He wanted what came next. The throne alone was not enough.

However, he was frustrated because he didn’t know what that next step was.

‘A realm that no one in this world has ever pioneered. A grand realm that the small imagination of a mere Imperial Emperor could never dream of. I desire that.’

Fragments of unclear thoughts flashed rapidly through Michael’s mind.

The truth of the world.

The true ending.

…The Hidden Ending.

Michael did not understand the meaning of all these words.

It was a string of words that he, in his capacity, could not even guess.

This was the limitation of Michael, a resident of the game.

A being who cannot set his own goals.

He simply craves endlessly.

Yearning desperately for something that can never be reached.

Squeeze.

Michael clenched his fist tightly.

He raised it forcefully towards the large window.

He felt suffocated. His chest tightened as if he could barely breathe.

It felt like he could relieve some of that suffocation if he just broke the window and inhaled the night air.

Thick veins bulged on Michael’s forearm. His muscles tensed tautly.

“Hoo.”

Michael ultimately did not strike with his fist.

It wasn’t because he was afraid of getting hurt.

If he broke the glass, it would create a loud noise, and Anna would undoubtedly wake up.

He didn’t want to wake her. He wanted to let her sleep peacefully.

“Estel Frostwind.”

Michael murmured softly.

He recalled the face of the short, pretty girl.

One of his greatest rivals.

A disaster that mocks the laws of life by resurrecting countless times no matter how many times she’s killed.

Of course, that’s in the past.

Now, after being trampled and defeated hundreds of times, the Lich poses no threat to Michael.

‘Do you know?’

The Lich was the only one who understood Michael’s yearning.

Someone who covets what should not be coveted.

Someone who seeks to peel back the veil of the world and peer into its hidden side.

Although the Lich and Michael were sworn enemies, their gaze was fixed on the same point.

Michael wanted to meet the Lich.

He wanted to meet her and ask.

‘Lich, I want to ask you. What exactly awaits at the end of this world?’

The silent night deepened.

***

I walked through the forest. The Guard Captain followed behind me.

The Guard Captain’s face was stiff.

Thump, thump.

In the quiet forest at noon, only the footsteps of the two of us scattered softly.

We didn’t say anything while we walked.

It wasn’t the mood for laughing and chatting.

That’s because I had finally delivered Yuria’s letter.

At first, the Guard Captain doubted the authenticity of the letter.

-Even if it’s you, I simply cannot believe it. Is there any proof that Yuria really wrote this letter?

-But you wouldn’t lie to me, Estel… There’s no one who would benefit from such a malicious prank. Please don’t take it to heart. I’m not blaming you.

-There’s no choice but to go and confirm it myself. Please guide me.

As we entered deeper into the forest, familiar terrain appeared.

The basin where the bandits had become food for the Night Wolves.

The bandits’ corpses had vanished without a trace, not even a single bone remaining.

In the flow of nature and time, human traces are quickly erased.

And then, I saw the cabin.

“Here it is.”

After several hours, I spoke for the first time.

The Guard Captain nodded, his face still stiff.

His beard, which he hadn’t shaved today, had grown out pointedly. His cheeks had also become gaunt in just one day.

The Guard Captain opened the cabin door and looked inside.

He pushed aside the dirty furnishings and gazed for a long time at the old bed where Yuria’s body had lain.

And then, he found Yuria, buried behind the cabin.

Even though her appearance had changed significantly due to partial decomposition, the Guard Captain recognized Yuria immediately.

“Yuria…!”

He wailed.

Heartbreaking cries, as if the world was collapsing, continued.

All I could do was be there with him.

The hot midday sun passed overhead and gradually began to set in the west.

As time passed, the Guard Captain lifted his tear-stained face.

“…Thank you.”

The Guard Captain managed to say with a hoarse voice, barely audible.

“You took care of Yuria. You even avenged her against them. Both were things I, as her older brother, should have done… I owe you an immeasurable debt.”

The Guard Captain took out a small ring from his pocket.

He held out the ring to me.

“Please take it.”

“No, I didn’t do it expecting a reward. Don’t worry about it.”

It was sincere.

Although I’m a profit-seeker to the bone, the process of helping Yuria and informing the Guard Captain was unrelated to such cost-benefit calculations.

I did it because I wanted to.

“No, it contains my oath. You must accept it.”

“…An oath?”

“I owe you a great debt. Therefore, I swear that I will surely become your strength someday. Please consider this ring as a symbol of that promise.”

The small ring on the Guard Captain’s palm shone brightly.

It wasn’t an ordinary ring.

It was an artifact, the Ring of Late Bloom.

It’s a top-tier ring that permanently absorbs a portion of the stats of powerful monsters when you kill them.

The probability of this artifact appearing in the game is extremely low.

The location and method of its appearance vary from game to game, so you might not even see it once throughout the entire game.

But, is it really okay for me to take it?

“Estel.”

As I hesitated, the Guard Captain patted my shoulder.

“Please. Accept it. I was originally going to give it to Yuria. Now, Yuria would want you to have it too.”

“Alright.”

If I refused any further, it seemed it would hurt the Guard Captain.

I accepted the ring and put it on my finger.

It was heavy.

Not the weight of the ring, but the weight of the sentiment contained within it.

It’s the burden that the living must carry after sending off a loved one.

“Yuria also wanted to become an adventurer. Yes, just like you, Estel.”

If she hadn’t met a tragic end, she might have traveled Garden someday and seen the wide world with her own eyes.

Yuria’s will is imbued in this ring, and it’ll travel the world with my journey from now on.

Life continues, and will continues.

I gazed at the ring on my finger.

-Thank you.

For a moment, I felt as if I heard a faint voice in my ear.

‘No way.’

I looked around.

In the dense forest, I searched for Yuria’s presence somewhere in the sky.

It was probably just my imagination, but just in case, I thought.

Swish-

The wind blew, and the leaves rustled.

We carefully collected Yuria’s remains and returned to Garden.

The path back was bathed in warm sunlight.

As if finally freed from a long wait, a warm energy spread through the forest.