episode_0023

Remembering Vihaan, who rolled on the ground like a child, refusing to engage in their engagement, Alice recalled.

She remembered Vihaan not only tearing up her letters in front of her without a reply but also shouting,

– So, don’t bother writing me any more letters. I can’t fulfill any of your expectations.

Realizing that the intense emotions emanating from Vihaan’s empty eyes were directed towards himself rather than towards her,

Alice felt like a hedgehog bristling with thorns, trying to figure out what had hurt him so deeply.

While her father and siblings praised Vihaan’s speed and wanted to take care of his rudeness by pulling out his teeth, Alice was simply curious.

What are you so afraid of?

Having known Vihaan as a bright and kind person in the past, Alice couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

As time passed, the Vihaan Alice faced had changed in many ways.

Although he gestured to her as his fiancée in an Orc’s body, bursting with emotions pushed to their limits within a family facing a crisis, crying uncontrollably,

– I apologize for everything that happened in the past.

Vihaan stated,

– I am Vihaan von Adelheid. I offer my apologies for causing you irreparable pain and for all the rudeness without a single apology.

He was different.

..No, he had returned.

With a surprising scar on his face, reminiscent of the days when he sparkled and reached out his hand to her,

Vihaan was surprisingly marked.

And he knew a lot, acting without fear.

Knowing that a life-threatening war was imminent, he still came here

and persuaded the Swordmaster to help the family in crisis,

moving forward as if he knew the answers.

Despite his Orc appearance, his straight, unwavering eyes.

When Alice saw those eyes moving forward with unwavering confidence, she had to admit.

That this was Vihaan’s true self.

Although his emotions were not completely under control and he appeared cold, Alice did not deny feeling excited.

For some reason, if Vihaan was there, it seemed like they could overcome this crisis.

Leiana, who had comforted her and encouraged her courage by her side, seemed to have noticed my feelings to some extent.

However, she had not expected this situation.

– Kwaang!

– You damn bastard!!!!

“Oh, you’re enduring this. Why don’t you try enduring this too?”

– Kwaang!

Watching Vihaan mockingly extract the chilling aura from his body, laughing as if enjoying it while teasing the Grand Sorcerer Akat,

Even though he said he would come back unharmed,

his legs wobbling, hands twisted, had returned to normal, but that was not what Alice wanted.

What she desired was Vihaan, with unwavering eyes moving forward confidently, not mocking Akat with a smile.

At this rate, she felt she might lose her fiancé once again after a long time.

Then Leiana, who had first recovered from the shock, grabbed Alice’s hand and shouted,

“Sister!! Pull yourself together! Look at your fiancé’s hand! His right hand!”

Her wavering gaze turned towards Vihaan’s right hand, which was pounding Akat in all directions.

-…!!

The mark shown to her by the Great Sun God Sola had not lost its light.

“I-Is that so..”

“Yes! Exactly! I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but it’s not over yet!”

Indeed, her words were correct.

Nodding her head while looking at the pure white right hand untouched by the vile aura covering her whole body,

Alice realized that Vihaan had not disappeared yet, despite the remnants of the dark sorcerer’s influence or the mysterious malevolence emitting from his scarred skin.

Alice could finally look around.

While Akat was energetically pushing back, we were unharmed.

Its attacks were solely aimed at orcs.

As if not recognizing us as enemies,

Hope nestled deep within the darkness was all the sweeter.

Fully alert, Alice looked at her determined companions and nodded.

“Alright… Let’s give it a try.”

To ensure Vihan’s return, whatever may happen,

Before gripping her weapon, Alice clasped her hands together and prayed.

Oh great and warm Sun God,

Please protect his body and soul.

Do not let him leave again

And please bring him back to my embrace.

[“Hey, fiancé… I, Jungsil…? Then what about me, am I just…”]

Feeling like there was some response to her sincere prayer, Alice stood up.

“…Let’s move.”

It was time to act.

…

Truly amusing.

The orc who boasted of being a Grand Sorcerer, a Champion of the Gods, a transcendent being who had achieved apotheosis, was now writhing in front of me.

-Why, why would a lowly creature like you wield the power of the gods…!!!

Oh, it’s not the power of your gods~ It’s my power~

“The power of the gods? That’s a hilarious joke. This power is not that kind of power. It’s my power.”

No matter what I say, it seems to be filtered strangely, which is annoying,

-Stop talking nonsense!!!!

Seeing him getting more excited by my tone, I just let it go since his frantic movements were quite entertaining.

But seriously, isn’t it your god’s power?

How can it be the same as the Orc deity and the Seven Evils?

The tribal deity is just a man-made deity made up of jumbled beliefs, while this is the direct descendants of the first gods.

How are they the same? I really don’t know.

Even with a solid explanation, he blushed and attacked me.

Ugh, even if I explain, his attitude is so bad!

Back in my day!

When veterans explained, newbies would say “Oh, thank you!!” and write gratitude posts.

I dodged Akat’s attack and simultaneously sprinted, landing a solid blow to the back of his head.

Another leg broke in the middle, but well, this much is fine.

-Snap!

One finger snap and it’s back to normal!

Ta-da!

Watching my broken leg twist back into place, I nodded.

If my legs break after a few sprints, then using Infinite Recovery should fix it, right?

Now I understand what Queen Mari said: if there’s no bread, eat meat instead.

Ah, you were a pioneer!

Of course, Marie Antoinette never said such a thing.

Anyway, writing like this makes me invincible.

I don’t need to approach battles like a fool, risking death while trying to defeat the boss with Vihan’s body alone. I can explore dungeons alone and collect artifacts!

-Here I come!!!!!

Looking at Akat’s face, now red from the blow to the back of his head, I pondered.

How did he turn his green skin so red on his face?

His whole body turned bright red with anger; could it be real blood vessels?

Perhaps the angry orc’s blood vessels…?!

Excited, I wondered if I had discovered hidden settings that hadn’t appeared in the game before.

Since he’s a Grand Sorcerer, he must know a lot, so maybe I should ask him?

Strong villains usually know a lot, so surely he knows too!

Feeling like I was about to unwrap a Christmas present, I approached him,

-Pfft

But some people blocked my way.

“…Vihan.”

Hmm, Alice.

“Please stop now.”

Who is this?

Although she’s an unfamiliar face,

If she’s this pretty, I should probably know her, but… ah, forget it. Whatever.

Besides Alice, there were muscular warriors, a ranger mercenary with covered eyes, and others blocking my path.

Continuously insisting on returning… But that’s not what’s important right now.

Excited at the thought of getting information from Akat, my mood sours with the sudden intrusion of these beings.

Looking at their faces, it seems futile to reason with them. Should I just tie them up and throw them away?

These emanations seem quite powerful, but since they can be unleashed and contained again, should I just kill them off?

Elise is tough, so maybe I should make her pay for blocking my path by breaking her arms and legs…

As I ponder in which direction to twist Elise’s limbs, a burst of light erupts from the back of her right hand.

-…!!

Simultaneously, another intruder sneaks in through the gap and strikes at my head.

-!!

[Unyielding Will II empowers you. Do not yield to anything.]

Witnessing their collaboration, I am astounded.

Damn it.

What was I just thinking?

Twisting Elise’s limbs?

And who am I planning to kill..?

I survey the faces of those blocking my way.

Leiana, Leona, Ment, Rain, Ahlak.

People genuinely concerned about themselves?

Am I going to kill those who carry the stories I love and make the future enjoyable?

“Ha, hahaha…”

It seems like I’ve been influenced by this ‘arrogant’ guy after all.

Just in case, I had prepared various countermeasures… But it seems like those measures have been completely consumed beyond my thoughts.

I fill my body with overflowing energies that threaten the sky.

[The deepest and widest arrogance reveals itself. ‘Wasn’t this what you wanted?’]

Ridiculous.

If what I wanted was correct, then so be it.

Eliminating enemies through sheer power.

But what’s the point if using that power leads me to harm those I cherish?

[The deepest and widest arrogance is puzzled. ‘Weren’t you supposed to spare the girl you cherish?’]

So, it’s not that feeling, you monkey-like brat.

I grit my teeth and restrain the thrashing force with a leash around its neck.

Despite being an S+ in mental strength, the creature thrashes enough to break into a sweat as I press down on it.

When I finally manage to bring the struggling creature under control and lower it beneath my neck.

Still clutching the bracelet from the pocket that remains cool.

[I’m wearing the Emergency Mana Recovery Bracelet! Be cautious of the overwhelming mana recovery!]

The bracelet fills me with mana just by wearing it on my wrist.

Filling my body with mana, it soon bursts.

A mere mana conduit, the bracelet shatters after filling me with a pitiful amount of mana.

In the past, I wouldn’t have used such a thing to fill this amount of mana, but it was sufficient due to the extraordinary nature of the body.

What changes when mana is filled?

Naturally.

The creature, which had exhausted all mana in cutting off its rage, now opens its eyes, seething with anger.

[The power of Pama (破魔) resounds! ‘Moments filled with anger and humiliation! I have returned, you bastard!!!’]

[The deepest and widest arrogance bites its tongue. ‘You’ll probably just sleep forever.’]

Then, with the sound of Bai Lei (白雷) crackling, a battle ensues within the body.

Before the fight breaks out, I address those looking at me with confusion.

“I’m going down.”

So please, don’t abandon me!

“..What?”

As Elise reacts with raised eyebrows to those words.

-Zap..

Vihan collapses.

“Screaaam—!!!!!”

She begins to scream.

An instrument and something white tearing each other apart in a visible battle.

Watching Vihan experience the battle firsthand, everyone present moves as one.

Though not entirely sure of the situation, they knew they had to act.

With veins bulging, they lift Vihan, screaming, and charge forward.

With a body full of wounds and eyes blazing red as if about to burst, Akat and the orcs glared at them, avoiding

the complex thoughts about Vihan screaming as if they were about to die in their arms.