episode_0047

“Haa… Haa…”

I sobbed for a long time and then retched more.

Green bile came out because there was no more stomach acid to pour out. Gasps came in succession, and the rectus abdominis muscles contracted strongly.

As his violently trembling heart gradually found stability, Baekryeon slowly stood up. He looked down at the villain who had been deprived of his life without even knowing why. Then he looked up at the sky and took deep breaths repeatedly.

After a while, Baekryeon’s expression, which had turned her gaze straight ahead, was completely different from before. The expression that had been relaxed in search of hope had long since evaporated, and decadence and decay were evident in her eyes.

Thud, thud.

He took a step. The place where his feet had reached was the place where the group and their luggage had been temporarily stored. Baekryeon took out the wig, mask, and gloves from the backpack placed there. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he carried out the disguise that was so frustrating.

From now on, we need warriors from the Epelante Empire, not the Baekryun of the Republic of Korea.

Black is a symbol of misfortune and death.

Even if Baekryeon, a black-haired, black-eyed immigrant, boasted about his achievements, he would only be criticized for using malicious methods.

So, Baekryeon once again reversed her steps and approached North’s corpse. Then, she grabbed his head and torso and dragged him.

Indeed, a body that transcends humanity will not be damaged even if it turns into a corpse. North’s body will now be a proof of strength. It will also grant Baekryeon freedom of action.

For the villain who trampled on the weak, there was just that much value.

◇

March 21, 498 Imperial Calendar.

Spring has arrived, the time when life is vibrant. At that time, Baekryeon entered the capital dragging the lifeless corpse and arrived in front of the imperial palace.

In the front yard of the main palace, not only the emperor but also the Holy See of Netherto were seated.

They saw with their own eyes the body of North that Baekryeon had brought.

“The King of Demons.”

“The King of Demons? This is it?”

The Emperor stared at Baekryeon as if he was looking at a lunatic. Then Baekryeon asked the Holy See directly.

“If you are Seongjaknim, you will know.”

“… I see. Is that the new king of monsters? Then what is the original one?”

“Died. By interest.”

“Then how did the interest die?”

“I killed it. Me. Myself.”

“… That’s right.”

After that, the Holy See of Neterto secretly conveyed a message to the Emperor. This corpse was a man who had transcended humanity in his lifetime, and he would have killed the existing King of Demons. The Emperor’s eyes widened after hearing his explanation.

At that moment, Baekryeon opened her mouth to address the Holy Netherto.

“I did as you wish.”

“What?”

“As you wished, I have finally killed a man. I have also achieved great feats. Now, I think it is okay to announce that I am a warrior.”

“… I guess so.”

“Please do it. This time too, as you wish.”

It was not the white lotus that Neterto had seen before. The once delicate Aesong had lost all joy and sorrow as if it had been turned over by all the darkness of the world.

This attitude above all else.

By the time he killed the transcendent North, Baekryun’s abilities had already been proven. He was no longer a person worthy of being taught by Saint Netterto. The hierarchy of powers is unknown, but at least it cannot be trivialized.

“I don’t think there will be any progress while I’m gone, Seongjaknim.”

“If it’s progress, then…”

“It’s about the witch’s whereabouts.”

“…”

After thinking for a moment, the Holy See touched his chin and looked at the child who had changed so much. It had not been long since he had returned, but instead of giving him a reward, he was looking forward to the next mission, which left him feeling somewhat uneasy.

“If there is any suspicious place… there is.”

“Please tell me.”

“This is the Dukedom of Arkaden. According to the investigation of the Information Department, the climate of Arkaden has become strange since the Duke of Arkaden became the head of the household.”

“Is this abnormal weather?”

“Yes. I ordered an investigation because I thought it was strange that the Arkaden Duchy, which was not a fertile region, had the best granary in the empire. Then I received a report that Arkaden’s climate records were extremely ideal. The Arkaden Duchy was a place where coincidences that would have been impossible without artificial manipulation overlapped and overlapped. ”

“… Okay.”

It is credible enough. Witches are beings who can destroy a country and still have more to lose. It is difficult to judge with human common sense. Therefore, it is not at all strange to assume that witches have the power to control the weather.

“Let’s go to Arcaden.”

“… Are you going to kill the witch? By yourself?”

“No.”

“I’ll have a few of the Seongjak people wait in the nearby area in advance…”

“No, you misunderstood my intentions.”

The Emperor and the Holy See felt a strong sense of discomfort at the strangely rebellious tone. As their hardened expressions showed their tension, Baekryeon continued speaking.

“If it’s a human being that needs to be killed, I will kill them.”

“Now…what is that…!”

The emperor’s veins rose to his throat. Regardless, Baekryeon did not stop saying what she had to say.

“If you have malicious intent, you will be killed. Even if it is in line with the prophecy of the temple, you will be killed. However, if the witch wants to coexist with humans and does not harbor malicious intent to destroy the empire, I will watch over you. Even if you spend your whole life like that.”

“What kind of nonsense is that! Is what the author of Neterto’s Holy Works says even possible?!”

“… Of course it is not possible, Your Majesty.”

Baekryeon was not at all discouraged even when facing the Emperor’s wrath. Compared to her first encounter with North, it was a calm scene with no tension.

Above all, Baekryeon has no back.

Living wasn’t living at all. It could be said that he had poured out his regrets about life.

No matter how great the Emperor’s authority was or how powerful the seventy-two Holy Knights were beyond imagination, it was of no concern to Baekryeon.

There was no reason to continue killing to protect this world. Since he had turned his back on his own justice and happiness, there was not a single person in this world who could stop Baekryeon’s impulse.

“I said what I meant.”

Crispy.

As Baekryeon took a step back, the sound of her feet stepping on the grass was heard.

“I will go to Arkaden. Send out your warriors as you wish. I don’t care what kind of flesh you put on them.”

As he said that, he took off his wig and mask and placed them on the ground. Finally, when he dropped his black leather gloves over his white mask, Baekryeon nodded slightly.

“My determination to protect the empire remains unchanged. In any case, I do not want good people to be involved in bad fates. So, please do not interfere with my actions. Thank you. ”

Baekryeon gradually became distant, exposing the characteristics of an immigrant race. The emperor and the saint could only look on at her resolute actions.

It was polite to say, but it meant that I would take care of everything.

It was a shocking thing for the royal family, who only wanted to exterminate the witches. The warrior was just a hunting dog called for that purpose.

“Ugh…! Seongjak, what should I do with that? There’s a prophecy, so I can’t kill him…”

“… Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”

“Do you have a sharp point?”

“That’s not true. However… a witch is a witch after all. They said they don’t mind killing him either, so if the witch reveals her true colors, it’ll be over. ”

“Well… that’s true.”

It is a prophecy aimed directly at the royal family. If the cruel witch harbors the malice of murdering the Seventy-Two Holy Kings, then Baekryeon has a duty to fight against that malice.

I swore to myself.

If that’s the case, then you should use what’s available.

The Emperor gazed upon the corpse of the first human being to be turned into a monster. It was an exquisite trophy.

A few days later, the imperial family announced the presence of the warrior, informing them that the King of Demons had been hunted.

At their side was a blond-haired, blue-eyed warrior who had been brought in as a stand-in. He was the symbol of a mysterious and perfect warrior who would later be recorded in history.

◇

April 1, 498 Imperial Calendar. Duchy of Arkaden.

The Arkaden Duchy seen from Baekryeon’s perspective was a utopia.

The developed streets were no less developed than the capital, while the golden wheat fields in the outskirts swayed in the breeze, embodying the idea of abundance in reality.

It was too different from other surrounding territories. Even if Arkaden had a good economy, the quality of the land and the farming conditions would not have been dramatically different.

It is indeed an unrealistic environment. If this environment continues every year, it is reasonable to believe that a witch is lurking in Arkaden.

‘… is contradictory.’

It brings prosperity rather than harm, and yet it is being suspected. This makes me wonder who the real villain is.

Baekryeon walked towards Duke Arkaden without a plan.

The guards stopped him, but he didn’t care. He subdued them as leisurely as twisting a child’s wrist and entered the mansion.

There is no need to drag it out.

Face the duke and question him.

The Imperial Family was slow to gather information as they had to survey all the territories of the Great Empire and compile the results. However, Duke Arkaden must have felt a sense of unease in his own territory.

If so, the Duke should have reported the strange situation in the territory to the Imperial Court. If he didn’t, perhaps the Duke of Arkaden had a reason to take such an artificial phenomenon for granted.

Baekryeon was very suspicious.

‘If it was all a coincidence…’

If it was all a misunderstanding, there is no proper solution.

I was willing to accept anything, whether it be death or anything else.

Then, if the witch causes harm, he breaks the bars and comes out to kill the witch. That’s all there is to it.

It was an idea that was possible because I had lost my will to live.

After walking through the spacious grounds, we finally got close to the mansion.

Sabak, sabak.

The sound of brisk footsteps was heard from a narrow space.

“Huh? What’s over there?”

“Wow!”

Additionally, a woman’s voice and the sound of a dog barking were also heard.

The sound of people gradually getting closer.

Soon they revealed themselves as they turned the corner of the maze-like wall of bushes, and immediately met eyes with Baekryeon, who was strolling through the manor.

“Oh my…”

“…”

The woman stopped.

The white lotus also stopped as if frozen frost had grabbed its ankles.

A mystical sensation took hold of Baekryeon’s entire body.

He instinctively felt an alien energy rippling around the woman. It was clearly a power that was far removed from the standards of this world. Baekryeon was quickly convinced of the source of this sensation.

It was a kind of homogeneity.

A being of a different type, fundamentally different from the humans of this world. That was Baekryeon, and also the woman before my eyes.

Baekryeon fell into a strong sense of confidence.

“Hey… who is that?”

She asks, placing her hand on the head of the retriever who is sitting quietly.

So he answered.

“… White lotus.”

Adding one more sentence.

“I came to kill you.”

This is how the two people first met.

The warrior Baekryun of the Epelante Empire. And, it was the first encounter with the witch who would later be called Duchess Bernacien Arkaden.