episode_0247

Dongseung Shinju, Old Country.

A mysterious place straddling the boundary between reality and illusion due to the power of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, unreachable by ordinary means.

At the summit of the king’s towering stone pagoda there, a man was alone, tipping a wine cup.

Drip, drip, drip

“….”

At the heart of the Old Country, from the highest point of the Old Country, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, looking down upon the domain he ruled, looked up at the night sky adorned with moonlight and starlight.

Seven stars shining brilliantly in the sky.

He sensed one of those stars vanishing.

Illuminating it with his Fiery Golden Eyes, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, feeling an emotion slowly creeping into his heart, let out a soft sigh.

“Sad.”

He uttered a word quietly and then passed the wine over his throat.

And his subordinate, who had been silently watching that figure from a step behind, carefully opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty. What is making your heart sad? If you just tell us, we will step forward.”

“No, it is not for you to step forward. This is just….”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven slowly poured wine into his emptied wine cup.

At that sight, the subordinate quickly bowed his head.

Because the figure of the king sitting there alone was so lonely, and as a subordinate, he could not dare to capture that loneliness of the king in his eyes.

In the meantime, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven said in a slightly tired voice.

“Just…. The feeling of loneliness of being left alone in this world is so deeply engraved in my heart that it flows out as sadness.”

“My lord, we will always be with you.”

“Yes. If it’s you, you will always be with me. I am more grateful for that than anything else. But… the loneliness I am talking about is not like that.”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven gazed at his filled wine cup for a moment before passing it over his throat.

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven closed his mouth for a moment at the aftertaste of the wine, which felt particularly bitter.

Then he quietly added a word.

“It is truly a sad thing that someone of the same origin as me, in the same position, disappears.”

“If they are of the same origin…. Are you talking about Ventilating Great Sage?”

“Yes. He… has faded.”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven withdrew his Fiery Golden Eyes.

“You seemed to dislike me…, but I considered you a friend. Monkey King, Monglu.”

“Your Majesty….”

A single tear flows down his eye.

Then he tilted it into his wine cup and said.

“Even if it is a destiny that must originally be fulfilled, it is very painful to accept it…. But I cannot be mired in sorrow forever. I will have to shake off all sorrow, with this as the last wine cup for you.”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven opens his eyes.

The Fiery Golden Eyes, filled with mysterious light, are as if they hold blazing flames.

It is not known where his gaze is directed.

But there is no need for the subordinate to know.

He simply quietly awaited his king’s words.

“Arucha.”

“Yes, I am at your service, Your Majesty.”

“Now, all the stages are racing toward the finale. Soon…. A battle that will determine the direction of the world will unfold….”

“Shall we prepare the army?”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven shook his head at Arucha’s words.

“There is no place for us there. So there is no need to prepare separately. But… it will not be something entirely unrelated to us. We must watch the progress.”

“I understand. Then….”

“….”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven quietly rose from his seat.

Then, after watching the last cup in his hand for a moment, he quickly downed it.

“I shall be absent for a while.”

“Yes. Have a good trip.”

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven disappeared like the wind, without a trace.

* * *

Tap, tap, tap

The sound of someone’s light footsteps is heard.

The steps stopped at a makeshift prison.

“Koo…. Koo….”

Inside was a woman, seemingly on the boundary between a girl and a woman, with an impressive blue hue.

The Azure Dragon was sleeping, as if comfortable, lying on the hard wooden bed inside the prison. As if, if you didn’t know and looked at it, you would think that the Azure Dragon was not trapped in a prison but simply sleeping in an ordinary room, the Azure Dragon was sleeping peacefully.

“….”

And the white-haired woman was looking at it, as if a little dumbfounded.

The White Tiger let out a soft sigh and said.

“Azure Dragon. Please wake up now.”

“Koo…. Koo….”

“…Azure Dragon!”

When the White Tiger lightly shouted, the Azure Dragon, as if noticing it only then, wriggled its body and carefully opened its eyes.

She blinked her eyes and looked around, then looked at the White Tiger and said with a smile.

“Yo~ White Tiger…. What’s up~?”

“What’s up…. I’ve come to pick you up.”

“Pick up?…. Who?….”

“….”

For reference, there is no one in this prison except the Azure Dragon.

Looking at the Azure Dragon, who was questioning her in that way even though that was the case, the White Tiger furrowed her brow.

The Azure Dragon had been like this since a long time ago. Unlike herself or the Vermilion Bird, who were usually active, the Azure Dragon was always leisurely wandering around, and was a Divine Beast who liked to take long naps the most. So, she usually climbed onto clouds and took naps while basking in the warm sunlight, and that’s why it was surprising at first that she became a subordinate of the Demon King.

Why did the Azure Dragon, who was extremely lazy, become a subordinate of the Demon King?

“I’ve heard all the stories from Black Tortoise.”

“Ah…”

“I’m sorry. I thought you had sincerely betrayed us.”

“Um….”

At the White Tiger’s apology, the Azure Dragon scratched her cheek, as if she was embarrassed.

Then, avoiding the White Tiger’s gaze, she carefully said.

“Half…. Half of it was sincere though….”

“…What?”

At the Azure Dragon’s confession, which was so dumbfounding, the White Tiger glared at the Azure Dragon as if she was speechless.

The more that happened, the more the Azure Dragon avoided the White Tiger’s gaze, crawling into the corner of the hard wooden bed and saying.

“The, the Demon King…. Ventilating Great Sage said…. That if I helped him, he would create a world where I could sleep comfortably without being disturbed by anyone….”

“…Azure Dragon! You!!!”

“Heeek~ White Tiger is angry~ Gotta run~!”

The Azure Dragon had been docile, but when the White Tiger’s voice grew louder, the Azure Dragon lightly escaped from the temporary prison.

In the first place, since it was a temporary prison, it was not very strong, so there was no restraint.

The White Tiger also knew that, so she let out a soft sigh as she watched the Azure Dragon, who was escaping after getting out of the prison.

“Has that child left?”

“Yes. I think so. Black Tortoise. She probably felt Black Tortoise’s presence and went back.”

“I owe that child a great debt. Fighting you probably wasn’t that child’s wish either.”

“Rather…. It would have been most painful for her to have to hand over Black Tortoise to Ventilating Great Sage with her own hands.”

At the White Tiger’s words, the Black Tortoise, who had slowly approached from behind, briefly turned her gaze in the direction that the Azure Dragon had fled.

Then, she quickly turned her gaze to the White Tiger and said.

“All the fragments of the Demon King have been dealt with. But… that is not the end.”

“That’s how it will be.”

“So, White Tiger. I ask you to look after the Hero.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

* * *

“Get out!!”

The body shrinks involuntarily at the loud roar.

The elderly king, wearing a splendid crown, was glaring at him, so excited that his face was flushed red.

“Fa, Father….”

“There’s no reason for me to be called father by you!! You incompetent fool!!”

The King of Roman, scolding the Hero, Raguna Roman, was trembling.

This is breaking news that has spread to all kingdoms.

『The last remaining fragment of the Demon King has been subjugated by the Hero Leon. All fragments of the Demon King have been subjugated, and peace has come to the world, so all kingdoms should announce this fact and celebrate the efforts of the Heroes.』

The King of Roman could not contain his anger at the breaking news that spread in the name of God.

“The Hero of the Prune Kingdom solved the subjugation of all the fragments of the Demon King!! All of them!! What in the world were you doing all that time!!!”

“….”

“Were you so greedy for my position!! Were you so greedy for power?! You are a Hero!! A Hero chosen by the Holy Sword!! If you had just done your job well, I would have gladly handed over my position to you!!!”

“Ugh….”

Perhaps he couldn’t contain his anger the more he spoke, the King of Roman shouted, trembling.

“Get out!! Get out now!!! Disappear from my sight right now!!!”

“Prince, please go back until His Majesty calms down for a moment.”

“….”

Expulsion order.

Raguna had no choice but to step back.

“….”

“That, that person….”

“Hero Raguna….”

“According to rumors…”

Voices heard while walking through the hallway.

He couldn’t bring himself to scold those who were daring to talk behind his back, even though they weren’t saying it out loud, but he couldn’t do that in the current situation.

‘Why did it turn out like this?’

Why did this situation happen?

Everything was going according to my will….

Tap, tap

“….”

“….”

At that moment, his younger sister was approaching from across the hallway.

Emula Roman.

His younger sister, who hated the royal palace and ran away, had returned to the royal palace.

And… she was now threatening his position.

“You’re back? Brother.”

“…Yeah.”

“…I’ve been summoned by Father, so excuse me.”

“….”

Emula briefly exchanged words and passed by.

“…Keuk.”

He clenched his teeth without realizing it.

‘It’s all because of that bitch.’

It was from the moment Mary…,

When he brought the magician who was in Hero Leon’s party, that everything started to go wrong.

Everything started to go wrong from that moment.

Raguna, who returned to his room, shouted loudly and called the name of his escort knight.

“Gares!!”

“Yes.”

“Is there still no news from that dim-witted bitch…. Mary?!”

“Yes. Still no contact….”

“Keuk….”

Everything started to go wrong from the moment he brought in a dim-witted person who couldn’t even do a simple task properly.

Knock knock

“?”

“Who is it.”

At that moment, the sound of knocking was heard.

Gares, his escort knight, asked who was outside the door instead, but instead of an answer, one of the court ladies opened the door and came inside without permission.

“You fool! Do you know where this is and act recklessly….”

Swaaack Thud!!

“?!”

Gares scolded the court lady who was walking towards him without even showing respect, but Gares was pushed away helplessly and crashed into the wall with the court lady’s light gesture. And Raguna, who saw all of that, froze.

“Wh, what…. Who are you. You….”

“Hero Raguna. I have something to offer you. Don’t you need power?”

“Po, power?…. Do you know who you are and….”

“Who I am is not that important. Compared to the situation you are in.”

Raguna was hit right where it hurt at the court lady’s words.

The court lady, seeing that, raised the corners of her lips and said.

“There are two things you can choose. To perish, or to join hands.”

“….”