Chapter 75 – Rest (4)

The moment Sirin uttered “Challenger,” Charlotte and Yuria’s expressions hardened.

They were already tense, but now… their faces were rigid with shock.

“H-How do you know that name…?”

“Life is the sole domain of the gods. Even the elixir is a divine artifact. For a mortal to reach for such things is quite an audacious challenge.”

A gentle smile graced Sirin’s now solemn face.

“Yet, I find it a beautiful challenge. Only mortals, only humans, can dare such things.”

Their eyes curved gracefully.

“I respect that. You who crack the shell and strive for a new world… you shine. So, be wary. The gods’ apostles won’t leave that light unchallenged.”

Then, Sirin’s expression returned to normal.

“Hmm, I don’t know when Noah will wake, but pass on this message for me.”

Sirin’s gaze swept over us.

Charlotte’s mouth hung open, speechless. Yuria was drenched in sweat, equally silent. I was no different.

Awkwardly standing there, Sirin cleared their throat and continued.

“Even I couldn’t defeat Kalt. So, tell her she should be proud of killing him. Though… I suppose she’ll react rather tepidly. Hahaha! Well, I’ll be off!”

With that, Sirin flung the door open and vanished.

Not just left — literally disappeared.

Charlotte and Yuria leapt up to chase Sirin, but it was futile.

As a result, Charlotte’s office was plunged into a deafening silence, as if in the wake of a storm.

In contrast, my mind was in utter chaos. My head felt ready to explode, overwhelmed with complexity.

Sirin’s words floated disconnectedly in my mind, each fragment swirling and churning my thoughts.

Their resemblance to Noah, their miraculous magic, the way they spoke as if they knew everything about us, their prophetic words…

And that term… Challenger.

I slowly turned to Yuria, whom Sirin had called a Challenger. She was still staring at where Sirin had vanished, her eyes trembling.

Then, suddenly:

“Hey, guys. I’ve been reading this novel lately…”

“What are you on about now?”

“No, it’s just… I’m thinking maybe that kid came from the future… What do you think?”

Charlotte’s random comment snapped me out of my thoughts.

“As if things aren’t complicated enough. Please, just shut up.”

“Oh… right.”

Under Yuria’s deadly glare, Charlotte scratched her head awkwardly and slumped back into her seat. Quietly, she lit another magic cigarette and looked at me.

“I can guess what you want to know, but…”

“Then answer me. What’s this ‘Challenger’ Sirin mentioned?”

“Ugh, that damn brat… Why’d they have to bring that up…” Charlotte ran her hand through her hair in frustration, taking a deep drag from her cigarette.

No. It’d be better to ask the one directly involved.

I turned to Yuria.

She was already looking at me, as if expecting the question.

“First… may I sit down?”

“Of course…”

“Thank you.”

Yuria walked over slowly and settled on the sofa. After a moment of thought, she spoke.

“Rubia… no, Priestess. What’s your opinion on Erden?”

Her eyes held an unreadable hostility as she looked at me. Not just hostility — there was also a hint of challenge, as if testing what I knew.

“I know I’m being disrespectful and presumptuous. I’ll accept your anger. But please… be honest with me.”

Yuria bowed deeply, then raised her head. Her eyes now blazed with even more intense hostility.

I couldn’t tell if that hostility was aimed at me or at Erden.

But it irritated me.

It angered me. Infuriated me.

The stress that had been slowly building up started to overflow.

The rage exploded through me, spreading to my fingertips, making my face twitch.

I’m no saint. I’m not generous. I’m petty, jealous, and spiteful. I’m a brat who must have what I want.

I’m the type who hates even others looking at what’s mine.

So, this situation right now…

The way things were happening without me…

Those eyes, as if they were dismissing me…

It made me furious.

“Hah…”

I’d been holding it in so well. I’d been suppressing it so tightly.

But now it was about to burst.

Even though this wasn’t the time.

Why couldn’t I control it?

No. It wasn’t that I couldn’t.

I simply didn’t want to.

Was it because too many unbelievable things had happened at once?

Or because I thought I understood this world, but realized I didn’t?

“Speak honestly about Erden…”

Maybe it was because I’d sensed that faint divine power from Kalt’s vanished sword.

Maybe it was because I hadn’t calmed down after the big battle.

“I… I think…”

Or maybe it was because I, who thought I could never die, realized I could.

Because I felt pathetic, pinned to the ground, only able to writhe like a worm as Kalt tore me apart?

No.

It was simply because…

Seeing Noah beside me, suffering… The person I love in pain…

And despite that, I couldn’t do anything…

It was all so…

“I think it’s utterly despicable.”

Disgusting.

Infuriating. Suffocating. I could only bottle up this rage inside.

And everything that led to this…

This world.

Erden.

The sun.

Lilith.

And me, using her power.

“It’s abhorrent. I hate it. I want to gather everyone involved and kill them all.”

“W-What…?”

“Rubia…?”

Two pairs of shocked eyes fixed on me.

I checked once more if Noah was still asleep.

I looked closely, watched her breathing.

Then I spoke again.

“You might think there are innocents among them. No. I want to kill them all. End of the world or whatever — I don’t care. I want to hunt down every last one of those bastards and kill them.”

Images flashed through my mind: men and women indulging in carnal pleasures.

I remembered the “believers” consuming suspicious drugs, calling them divine blessings.

Those who wanted to sacrifice even their own children as offerings.

I recalled their lecherous stares.

The lustful gazes from those who said they needed to preserve the priestess’s lineage.

The leaders, the believers, the humans.

All of them.

I wanted to kill them all.

“Charlotte, Yuria. I don’t know what you think of Erden. You might like it or hate it. Maybe this is a test. I don’t think you’re Erden’s agents. But I still have my doubts. Regardless, I’ll be honest.”

Charlotte’s cigarette fell from her mouth. Yuria’s jaw dropped.

I gently touched Noah.

She was sleeping soundly.

I spoke.

“It’s vile. It’s despicable. They’re all disgusting bastards. Yes, when I first left Erden, I was weak. I couldn’t even kill the knights chasing me. I thought they were innocent, just following orders. But.”

I remembered the knights who came to the ruins.

The countless pursuers they sent after that.

“They were all the same. Their talk was vulgar. They didn’t see me as a priestess. They called me Erden’s bitch. Sometimes they even tried to spy on us in our room. So.”

Every time that happened…

“I’d put Noah to sleep, then go out myself. I’d smash their skulls. I’d approach with a sweet smile, and they’d lower their weapons. It was so easy. But I always left one alive. I’d send them back to Erden, fingers cut off, teeth pulled out, then healed clean. I did this over and over.”

I killed them. I killed them all.

“Now they’ve stopped sending them. Heh… Maybe they think I’ve gone mad. I don’t know. Perhaps driving me insane was their goal all along. But what can I do? This is who I’ve become.”

“Wow, no… Rubia…”

“Are you satisfied? Yuria, I don’t know if your hostility is towards me or Erden. But I want you to understand one thing clearly.”

I grasped Noah’s hand.

“As a priestess, I find Erden…”

I steadied my trembling breath.

“And Lilith, the goddess…”

I spat out each word.

“Utterly fucking despicable.”

Then I laughed. I downed the coffee.

It was bitter and lukewarm, but refreshing.

It felt good.

The divine power in my body seemed to resonate with my emotions, swirling pleasantly.

My mood lifted with it.

A wide smile spread across my face.

“Satisfied?”

I took another sip of coffee.

It tasted sweet.

Clap, clap, clap—

Soft applause came from my left.

Charlotte was clapping, awestruck.

“That was… that was fucking incredible.”

“What?”

“Holy shit… wow… now that’s the Rubia I know! That’s the Rubia I fell for! Look at that glow, will you? That’s a goddamn halo right there.”

I turned to see what Charlotte was pointing at.

Indeed, divine energy was radiating from behind me, illuminating the room.

“What… What’s happening…”

Panicked, I tried to suppress it, to dissipate it.

But it stubbornly flickered, refusing to fade, only growing brighter.

“Uh, um… yes. I… I’m sorry, Rubia,” Yuria suddenly said, bowing her head respectfully, her voice tinged with awe.

“I… I had no idea you harbored such hatred… I apologize.”

The hostility was gone. The dismissiveness was gone.

But my divine power remained.

“Alright, now answer me. What is this ‘Challenger’ Sirin mentioned?”

I gave up fighting it and let the divine power spread wider, enveloping the entire building in a soundproof barrier.

Only then did the energy recede back into my body.

“…There. I’ve soundproofed the area. Now, please explain.”

“Yes… with that level of hatred, I suppose it’s safe to tell you… haha…” Yuria swallowed nervously before speaking.

“A Challenger… is one who defies the sun.”

“The sun…”

Lilith.

“Those who challenge it, aiming to ultimately destroy it. Such… individuals.”

Yuria sipped her tea, then continued.

“In short… ‘Challenger’ refers to those who can potentially overturn the world’s foundations as decreed by the goddess, Lilith.”

“The world’s… foundations?”

Outside, I heard the clatter of carts and merchants’ chatter. The sounds of a peaceful city drifted in.

“The world we live in—”

Yuria’s next words:

“■ is where ■ beings ■ keep ■ secret ■ foundations ■ built ■ long ■ ago.”

Didn’t register in my mind.