episode_0192

The sovereign laughed as if asking what there was to question.

After all, though both were villains, they were enemies. The sovereign, by nature, had an unusual hatred for heretics. To the extent of hunting black mages for sport, or deliberately interfering with their plans…

As such, the kingdom and the sovereign’s presence must have been a thorn in the heretics’ side. Among the underground factions, only the kingdom and Astro rejected them.

In other words, from their perspective, if they could just eliminate the two, they could devour the underworld. There was no reason not to strike first.

“For that reason… if they released the drugs to trigger this incident, it makes sense.”

“They certainly know how to be insidious. Unlike Leukie, regulations on drugs are loose in the kingdom, making it easy to target.”

“Tsk tsk, I really can’t stand them.”

“……Drugs, huh.” I fell into thought. Drugs that put people into a coma – there was no such event in the original story. As I had changed the previous events, the butterfly effect was slowly beginning to spread.

Fortunately, it wasn’t as if there was nothing to go on. A name immediately flashed through my mind.

‘L’Attrapeur de l’aube.’ The fourth apostle of the demon god. This one had the ability to manipulate dreams and night.

If my conjecture was correct, the kingdom was on the verge of destruction. Not only that, but the entire area surrounding the kingdom would be devastated. If the situation couldn’t be resolved as it was…

“……” “So, are you two the only ones who came as reinforcements?”

As I remained silent for a moment, the sovereign’s gaze suddenly fell upon me. Their aged eyes alternated between me and Neria. The gleaming golden eyes smiled meaningfully.

“It’s been a long time, Neria.” A greeting subtly tossed out. However, everyone knew it wasn’t merely a question of well-being. The expression itself clearly showed an intention to provoke.

Neria, whose complexion had been poor all along, clenched her fist.

“Let’s stop there.” I intervened between them before a clash could occur. I pulled the stiff Neria into my embrace. With my half-closed eyes, I glared at the sovereign. A warning that if they went any further, I would kill them.

“Unnecessary power struggles are not welcome.”

“Oh my… to not even accept the greeting of a frail old man.”

“If you continue, the vice-captain might tear you to pieces.”

“That’s a chilling remark. Though, frankly, I doubt it’s possible.”

“If the vice-captain can’t, I could step in myself.”

“I’ll certainly decline that offer.”

The sovereign finally backed down. I lowered the output I had raised for intimidation. Around us, the remnants of spirits that had burst due to the pressure fluttered down.

We exchanged glances in silence for a moment. I clicked my tongue inwardly, making sure it couldn’t be heard.

‘This is why I didn’t want to bring her…’ For Neria, the sovereign was the one who had pushed a part of her life into hell. I didn’t want them to meet, nor did I want her to think about it.

However, situations always force choices and actions. Especially in urgent times like now.

“Master-nim, I will accompany you.” “Please don’t worry.” “I am alright.”

The allocation of personnel was tricky. Irene had to remain at the academy in case of unforeseen circumstances. Kyle also had to stay at headquarters for a while, keeping watch. Since the kingdom had already been attacked, Astro would also be their target. Especially for those strong enough to reach the stars, they had to be cautious about moving their forces.

In that anguished situation, Neria had willingly stepped forward to accompany me.

I forcefully steadied my wavering heart.

‘It’ll be alright.’ Neria’s role was important. If the opponent was L’Attrapeur de l’aube, her power would be the key to resolving this crisis. More precisely, everything depended on the starlight held within her being… on that possibility. I simply trusted the girl, and our winter.

With a faint sigh, I needlessly changed the subject.

“By the way, I don’t see the Royal Guards.”

“You mean those children? They have a separate mission, so they couldn’t accompany me.”

“A mission?”

The kingdom. The underground city was currently in a massive blackout. Most of the underworld’s scum were in a coma. Those who hadn’t fallen asleep were being devoured by the spirits unleashed by the heretics. The occasional corpses found among the people on the streets were due to this. Those who didn’t fall into the coma as intended had their brains eaten out and were discarded.

“Someone has to protect those people from the spirits, don’t they?”

“Surely… you mean the Royal Guards are protecting the citizens?”

“Is there really any need to be so surprised?”

At my surprised reaction, the sovereign let out a hearty laugh. He stroked his neatly trimmed beard and spoke,

“I am a sovereign, after all. I must also care for my people’s livelihood.”

“……I didn’t realize you cared about such things.”

“That seems a bit rude of you.”

“To be honest, I thought you wouldn’t care at all.”

“If there are no people, how can a kingdom exist?”

“A valid point.”

“If there’s no foundation, there’s no ceiling either.”

The sovereign answered calmly. Looking at him, a past conversation flashed in my ears. It was a memory from my previous visit to the kingdom.

“You too easily conclude about others’ true feelings.” “But do you know?” “To have certainty about others is foolish.” “Because humans don’t have the ability to read minds.”

A somewhat sudden timing. After that fleeting moment, another voice continued. I met the still golden eyes of the old man. He was always a person whose true intentions were hard to discern.

“Bulmyeong, Bulsin, Bului… they are all hunting spirits.”

“Given the city’s size, three people would have their limits.”

“But what can be done? I don’t use people I don’t trust.”

“Isn’t there one more of the Royal Guards? Bulan, I think? The young man I dealt with last time.”

“If you’re looking for him, I’m afraid to say. He died two days ago. We found his body lying in an alley.”

“That’s… unexpected.”

“He was horribly torn apart.”

This was quite unexpected news. At the time, he had been so arrogant that I had treated him like an ant to be crushed… But when it came down to it, he was a strong individual, on par with an academy professor. For one of the kingdom’s most prominent figures to be devoured by mere spirits.

“Was it a surprise attack?”

“Likely so. He wasn’t particularly weak, after all.”

“The more I hear, the more things I can infer.”

“It seems there’s nothing you don’t know this time either. As if you truly know the future.”

“Let’s refrain from any further unnecessary chatter.”

“Tsk tsk… you avoid answering every time.”

Well, it didn’t matter. The old man, muttering to himself, resumed his steps. I gazed at him with subdued eyes. He was a person I couldn’t understand, no matter how many times I saw him. He disregarded lives yet sought to save his people; he treated his subordinates as expendable yet showed subtle anger at their deaths; and despite committing all sorts of heinous acts, the defiance in his eyes never wavered. The sovereign was the hardest person to read.

“……Let’s go, Neria.”

“Yes, Master-nim.”

We traversed the underground, covered in pitch black.

***

Meanwhile. In the plaza located at the heart of the kingdom. Hundreds of spirits roamed the streets there. And, a woman crossed among them. She was a crimson priestess, her face veiled by a blood-red fabric.

“My patron, God of Order and Stigma, come forth.”

The woman was offering a prayer. A faint purple glow swirled around her neatly clasped hands. As if remnants of that power, powders occasionally scattered. It was none other than Kosuma, the drug that had seized the underground city.

Her demure steps passed among the citizens who had departed for the land of dreams. A scene that brought to mind a fairy of the night.

“Ah… a world where light does not enter is beautiful, so beautiful.”

Throb throb-. In front of the woman was a certain mass. The mass writhed with a consistent rhythm, and at first glance, it resembled a heart. Filled with purple magic, it looked as if it would explode at any moment.

Her slender fingers caressed the grotesque object as if it were precious. Madness flickered in her voice.

“When our Lord descends, the world will be dyed in pitch black, and then the primordial darkness will be reclaimed…”

Following that, the throbbing heart flashed. It was the concentrated result of human nightmares.

“Let the pitiful night seep into the rising tide.”

Her lips, forming the pronunciation, gleamed in ecstasy. The tears streaming down were like crimson blood. Nightmares were casting their shadow over the kingdom.