episode_0064

The cold of Mount Seol is fierce.

Even with enhanced magic raising the heat around his body and wearing several layers of thick clothing, even those who have reached the level of a master can feel a faint chill.

In such harsh conditions, the heightened sense of smell of the monsters and demons in Mount Seol, developed to find prey, surpassed imagination. Easy prey with depleted magic possessed the power to kill easily.

It was an old nightmare.

Enveloped in an inexplicable sense of terror, Rachel from that time could only pull her dying comrades towards the crevice of a small cave where they could hide from the invaders.

A sense of helplessness, of being unable to do anything, coupled with guilt for causing the deaths of her comrades, created a gaping hole in her heart, causing a tsunami-like pain at its core.

“…Please run. There is no other way. This situation must be reported elsewhere quickly…”

His final words were painfully brief.

Even in a situation where it was as good as dying because of him, not even able to curse Rachel, his family, or anyone else, he died worrying about everyone, without even closing his eyes.

Outside, the cries of humans and demons echoed throughout the forest.

Even a knight clad in full plate armor over two meters tall had his arm roughly torn off by a single demon wielding a weapon, while another lunged forward, biting down hard on the remaining arm and crushing it, before falling with his comrades, the knight’s screams adding to the cacophony.

“…I’m sorry.”

All she could do was hide, looking down at her own wounds, torn open and bleeding.

“Ines!!!”

An archer using the famous divine arrow, filled with golden sacred power, shot down demons in a frenzy.

Perhaps the reason why some of Rachel’s knights were still alive was thanks to this saintly archer killing over hundreds of demons.

However, there were no more knights left to protect her.

In no time, taking advantage of the gap left by the vanished shield bearers, a horde of demons began to attack her through the barrage of arrows. Despite the screams, the feeble arms of the slender woman could do nothing. It didn’t take long for despair to cloud her eyes.

Eventually, as her limbs weakened and collapsed, the demons descended upon her as if waiting for her to fall into unconsciousness.

For the defeated, everything is taken away.

Their lives, their dignity, everything.

Though pitiful, it ultimately unfolds before their eyes.

“…”

As the saint fell, losing even the slightest glimmer of hope, it wasn’t just Rachel who had lost it.

One by one, the knights who had managed to hold their ground fell. Even the knight commander, who had held onto his composure until the end, was now tearing at his hair with trembling eyes.

The knights had literally crumbled, and amidst the overwhelming tide of demons pushing for victory, humans turned half-dissolved by acid begged for mercy, running around, only to be swallowed whole by a hydra in one gulp.

Unable to bear watching any longer, she closed her eyes, huddled and blocked her ears.

Why she, the one who should have led them, was fleeing like this, even she couldn’t understand.

‘…It’s all my fault.’

Simply regretting her decision to enter that cave thousands, tens of thousands of times over. Beyond the limits of reason, with the shock and trauma that transcended rationality. She truly felt like she was going insane.

Right now, even though she didn’t want to be like a bug, unable to do anything.

Not knowing what to do, Rachel ran like a mad fugitive mercenary who had vowed not to remain in such a state for long.

Feeling a sticky, slimy liquid under her feet, Rachel desperately retraced her steps like a dying beast, paying no attention to such things.

As she reached what used to be a safe place, along with the relief of safety came a release of tension. Clenching her fists tightly, she closed her eyes firmly.

She hated it.

It was shameful.

The voices echoing in her ears continued to reverberate in her mind, no matter how much she tried to block her ears.

Traitor.

The scene that kept replaying in her mind invaded even her dreams, tormenting her even when she closed her eyes.

She would have been fine with dying slowly.

But she had to run away.

To a place where she could escape their screams and curses.

Even if it meant shamelessly clinging to her son’s embrace without hesitation.

Worrying that she might disappoint him and be abandoned.

And just now.

After the nightmare where the Ice Dragon appeared, she started experiencing hallucinations.

The forgotten nightmare once again darkened her vision.

The familiar scene brought a tremor to Rachel’s heart once more.

The only difference was.

In front of her, struggling on the ground covered in flesh and spilled blood, was a familiar man.

If it wasn’t Ian, unless her eyes were playing tricks on her.

No, upon closer inspection, all the others looked familiar too.

The Saintess, the new commander of the knights,

Finally managing to reach his body with great effort.

“Suck-.”

Cold. Extremely so,

She involuntarily released her hand, swallowing a gasp at the chilling sensation that made her shudder.

Blood oozed from every hole where blood could come out—his eyes, nose, mouth, ears—a face distorted by indescribable agony due to twisted bones. It was hard to even recognize his appearance.

He seemed to be spitting out blood from within his body.

If he hadn’t instinctively grabbed her wrist lightly, she wouldn’t have recognized him.

“…Please, run.”

It wasn’t Ian’s usual warm, comforting voice. Rather, it was pleading desperately yet as forcefully as he could manage.

“No, you can’t.”

Leaving you behind.

Even you.

Hot tears poured down.

Knowing it was a fantasy, a dream.

Humans sometimes mistake what they see right in front of them for ‘reality.’

Believing that it is what will unfold in the future.

“…It’s cold.”

His voice trailed off as if cut off abruptly.

Even through Ian’s trembling hand that she forcibly held onto, complex emotions were conveyed.

Rachel looked at his dropped hand.

Then she immediately turned her head.

…

“The same…”

Rachel looked at the demon slain before her, shivering and stepping back as she spoke.

At this rate…

They would disturb the cave again.

She couldn’t help but start believing in that nightmare.

That’s why she ran to Ian immediately.

“W-We need to… run, even if it’s just the two of us…”

She knew that suggesting fleeing in this situation was unreasonable from Ian’s perspective, but Rachel, her held hand trembling, did not suppress her opinion.

Even if it was Ian, it was not his place to immediately affirm Rachel’s words.

“Just the two of us?”

Ian unexpectedly countered. His tone seemed to imply, “Should we two really run away together?” which made Rachel’s expression twist with guilt. Biting her lip, blood seeping out, she added.

“Ah, they’re not the type to be finished off so easily. There have been many things left unsaid until now. What I’ve experienced is not over yet. But today, seeing that guy die gave me certainty. That what I saw back then wasn’t wrong. Ian, we’ve already succeeded in our mission to exterminate the demon. I’m not sure what more you want since you haven’t told me properly… but that’s my guess. We shouldn’t get greedy. If we push it too far, we might even lose the sanctity of the saint…”

Rachel continued speaking rapidly with a trembling voice, almost incoherently stringing her words together.

“Rachel, -”

“I have my secrets, so I won’t say anything about yours. When the time comes, we can lay everything out for each other. So please…!”

Even as she spoke these words, her own heart was in a terribly agonizing state. She was not the type to prefer running away in the first place. Running away in fear and leaving someone behind was even more out of the question. However…

It was not unexpected that his response followed.

-If you’re going to run, go alone.

It was the image she had imagined countless times.

His gaze was icy cold, seemingly infinitely disappointed.

Ah, if she were to actually see that, she would fall into nightmares again, and into that cycle. She would remain in someone’s memory as a pitiful woman.

In the end, she would lose all her precious people again and be left alone.

She had already confirmed it.

Because she hated that outcome so much, Rachel found herself unconsciously reaching out and urgently grabbing his sleeve.

If she let go like this, it really would be the end. She felt like she would lose everything like everyone else.

As the dim eyes slowly rose to meet Ian’s expression.

“…!”

Rachel’s heart pounded.

-Don’t leave.

His unexpected actions then captured Rachel’s heart.

The grip of their hands holding tightly was so powerful from now on, and Ian’s words were so intense that they could hardly be believed as lies.

As Rachel’s gaze swiftly turned back to meet his warm golden eyes.

“Can’t you trust me?”

Once again, Ian’s words stirred up a nightmare.