721
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Mary kept her eyes tightly shut, repeatedly opening them again. As her hazy vision gradually brightened, the figure of Diphus became clearer.
"Ugh...!"
Examining Diphus' condition, Mary unconsciously covered her mouth.
There were eighteen fist-sized holes all over his body, and his lower body was twisted in the opposite direction. It was truly a hellish reality.
"Now, my sanity has returned..."
A single drop of blood trickled from Diphus' dry eyes.
He remembered how he had fallen into corruption and the atrocities he had committed after his corruption. And he knew what he had to do now, what he had to say to Mary.
"Your sanity has returned, you say? And you expect me to believe that I shouldn't kill you...?"
Mary alternated her gaze between the sword embedded in Diphus' hand and his eyes.
'Even this could be a trap set by the corrupted Diphus. But if he really has returned, what should I do...!'
Should she pull out the sword and stab Diphus again, or should she listen to his story? She couldn't grasp the situation.
"Mary... listen to me... If the curse is activated now, it's all over. And… Don't follow in my footsteps, keep fighting bravely, like the youngest."
Diphus struggled to continue speaking, then his pupils closed.
"Diphus oraboni!"
Mary quickly pressed her ear against Diphus' face and chest.
She could faintly feel his weak breath and heartbeat, and Mary immediately made up her mind.
'I have to save him for now. Even if he ends up dying again, I have to hear the reason why he did all this.'
If she couldn't hear directly from Diphus about the reason behind this nightmare, she had no confidence in living on, in not succumbing to despair.
The temporary alliance fleet was preparing to retreat.
'Signal Flare! I have to fire a rescue signal...!'
However, most of her belongings had been destroyed along with the viper. When she reached into her pocket to take out the pouch, all that came out were crushed pieces of paper and sand.
She shouted towards the sky several times, but her comrades couldn't hear her cries at all.
Under normal circumstances, her voice would resonate throughout the battlefield, but now she was too exhausted to even control her body.
Still, Mary desperately tried to lift Diphus and move, reaching out her hand to him several times before shaking her head.
Unless a mage like Valeria sealed him or a healing mage on the level of a Holy King helped, it was impossible to move Diphus while keeping him alive.
In the end, all Mary could do was wait for someone from her allies to come.
She fervently prayed that Diphus' breath wouldn't cease until then.
***
"You're quite tenacious, Prophet," Jin said.
The battle between Jin and the Prophet was reaching its climax on the other side of the battlefield.
[Kuu…]
The massive form of the Prophet, which once filled the entire Rikalton Castle, was now nowhere to be seen, replaced only by flames that engulfed everything.
Jin was in the midst of purifying the remnants of chaos with eternal flames.
There were only five chunks of chaos left.
With each slice of his blue blade, Jin's anger manifested, and the Prophet let out agonizing screams.
"But now, it seems we're finally reaching the end."
Three, two, one piece of chaos disappeared.
[Stop... s-s-stop!]
"Ever since I learned of your existence, I've been waiting for this day."
Eternal flames surged like a typhoon from all directions, representing Jin's anger.
All of that eternal flames were replacing the remnants of the Prophet, the manifestation of her true self.
Three, two, the last one.
Jin trampled on the remaining chunk of chaos and opened his eyes wide.
"It's finally over."
Thud!
The blue blade that rippled with azure light struck down the last piece of chaos.
Then, the chunk of chaos shattered like glass, and sharp fragments scattered. But those fragments were not made of chaos; they were composed of another power.
'Shadow force?'
Shadow force.
In the past, Dox saw the shadow force of the Prophet at Rikalton and mistakenly believed that she was somehow connected to Jin.
Jin, like Dox at that time, was momentarily taken aback, but only for a moment.
He had long been aware of some relationship between shadow force and chaos.
[Don't you wonder how I can manipulate shadow force? 12th flagbearer. Let's make a deal! If you release me now, I will work for you in the future.]
"Prophet."
Interrupting the Prophet's words, Jin turned his blade, caught in chaos.
"There are humans in this world who never fall into corruption. Such people would never make a deal with you, and I am one of them. The reason why you can manipulate shadow force? It's obvious. Solderet must have blessed Helluram in the past, or perhaps Helluram usurped his authority."
[Aaaargh! You will regret refusing me, even if you can make me suffer, you cannot destroy me! That is an impossible task!]
Indeed, the last chunk of chaos from the Prophet did not disappear even as it burned and shattered into pieces.
However, Jin silently amplified his eternal flames.
While he didn't know the criteria for the Prophet's "destruction," a clear sensation came from the blade. The sensation of eternal flames devouring the Prophet's vitality.
There was only one thing that Jin was worried about.
If Diphus died before eternal flames could finish off the Prophet, the situation would be completely reversed.
[Boong!]
"Jin!"
A white dimensional portal opened, and Syris and Valeria appeared once again. The two had come to Jin in haste while searching for remaining allies on the battlefield.
It was because of the marble.
Valeria had brought the marble, the "Helluram Record Device," which Jin had obtained from Joshua's villa in the past. Before going to the Kaldran Snowfield, Valeria discovered that the Prophet had come from that marble.
So, in this operation, Valeria had brought the marble to further investigate it, and she had just finished the analysis.
When Valeria took out the marble from her pocket and handed it to Jin, the Prophet's resistance against eternal flames rapidly destabilized.
Unlike when they first obtained the marble at the villa, the marble in Valeria's hand was now tinged with a purplish hue.
[Oh, how did you get that, you bastards...!]
The Prophet couldn't even imagine that the marble would suddenly appear.
She had no idea that Joshua had possessed a shadow force marble or that it had been taken from him by Jin in the past.
After Joshua's fall, he never mentioned anything about the marble to the Prophet.
If he had revealed that such a thing had happened, it was obvious how he would be treated.
"Jin, destroy it with your Shadow Sword."
Valeria revealed that the marble was a connection between the sealed Helluram and human world.
As long as this connection remained, even if the Prophet's physical body disappeared, her soul would return to the marble.
The reason the Prophet said, "You cannot destroy me," became clear.
Jin accepted the marble.
[Give it to me! How dare you destroy something that should not be destroyed!]
"We need to go find Diphus immediately. Right now, he is barely clinging to life to stop the curse."
Jin's pupils widened.
"He's holding on? To stop the curse."
"It seems like his sanity has returned. It can't be just a whim."
"...I understand."
Once again, a white dimensional portal opened, and Jin tightly clenched the purplish shadow force marble in his hand.
[No, please. Mother, Mother! Can you hear my voice...?]
Soon, Jin threw the marble into the air, unleashing his Shadow Sword 1st technique, Soul Slash.
[Ah, Aaah! Mother!]
Jin swung his Shadow Sword, shattering the marble into countless pieces.
The purple fragments scattered like droplets of blood, and finally, Jin can see Prophet dying in front of his eyes
Grrroooar!
The chaos consumed by eternal flames dispersed in all directions, annihilating itself. The Prophet's voice could no longer be heard, and in that moment, Jin was enveloped in an indescribable intense intuition.
He felt a piercing sensation in his heart, a direct intuition that just now, somewhere on the battlefield, Diphus had taken his last breath, succumbing to death's embrace.
The power of the evil god that Diphus possessed was ultimately not restored to Rosa.
Instead, the power of the evil god that remained with Diphus after his death was running rampant. A gigantic black sphere was emerging above Diphus' lifeless body.
The chaos forming the sphere no longer enhanced Diphus as before, nor did it infect people nearby with corruption. It simply caused a tremendous explosion. The chaos burst forth from the sphere incessantly, as if hundreds of volcanoes were erupting simultaneously.
Jin immediately rushed towards the sphere. If he left it alone, the retreating allies would be slaughtered en masse.
The first person to come into Jin's view upon reaching the sphere was Mary. She was kneeling in front of Diphus' corpse, sobbing.
"Save oraboni... We need to take him back... Ah..."
Someone's breath brushed past her like a gentle breeze.
Diphus' body disintegrated into particles.
Mary absentmindedly reached out her hand towards the dispersing particles, then collapsed and slumped forward.
In front of her, a white dimensional portal and a steel gate opened, revealing Valeria and Orgal.
Orgal appeared fatigued, as expected. He had been interfering with the evil god all this time, just as Jin had anticipated.
[Jin, now it's only you and me left. If we can stop the explosion and escape, the mission will be a success.]
Jin struck a piece of chaos that protruded from the sphere towards the opposite sky. Each piece possessed the power to inflict fatal damage on the fleet.
Meanwhile, Valeria examined the remaining records left by Diphus in the spot where he disappeared. She wondered if there might be any records that could be relayed to Jin and Mary later.
Mort took Mary.
Silently, Syris and Valeria stood in front of the white dimensional portal, heading towards the fleet. Jin nodded, as if urging them to go.
"Valeria, relay this to Veradin. Instead of firing a signal flare, have Kozec's main cannon fire above the sphere. The explosion might obscure the signal flare."
"Understood. Return safely."
As Mort disappeared, Jin and Orgal threw themselves towards the power of the evil god that had turned into a sphere.
It was about ten minutes later that Kozec's main cannon passed over the sphere.
Before crossing the steel gate, Jin briefly looked back at the spot where Diphus had vanished.
If Diphus had not returned until the very end, if he had not been able to resist death until the Prophet's destruction...
This mission would have never succeeded.
722
[T.L: punisher87]
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Terrace Garden, Tikan Palace
"Oraboni, when did we become close?"
[T/L:- 친해졌었지 - "We became close," "We got to know each other," or "We became friends." It implies that the two individuals mentioned in the context have developed a close relationship or friendship over time.]
Mary asked as she fiddled with the fruit juice in front of her. The ice clinked against the spoon, making a pleasant sound.
"Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Diphus took out a cigarette from his pocket.
"I'm just curious. I can't seem to remember."
As he put his finger inside, the cigarette case was empty.
"Oh, it's all gone. I don't feel like going to get more. Do you have any cigarettes?"
"No, but can you please pay attention to my question?"
"Well, we probably became close naturally at some point."
"No, that's not the kind of answer I'm looking for. I've been restless for days because of this. I haven't been able to sleep properly."
"What's bothering you so much?"
"You know, whenever something bothers me, my entire focus is on resolving it. I can't let it go until it's solved. Don't you understand?"
"Fix your personality, you punk. Sometimes you have to let things go without worrying too much. Oh, Sir Hedo."
Diphus motioned for Hedo as he passed by, and Hedo handed him a cigarette.
"You can repay me with two next time."
"Of course, I'll give you the finest from Mila."
Feeling pleased, Diphus took out a matchbox from his pocket and sighed.
There was no fire.
Cheek-!
"Whenever you're in trouble, just find me at the entrance. I'll have a lighter for you, Sir Diphus."
But this time, as Jet was passing by, he swiftly brought a match to Diphus' lips.
"Jet, that's quite appropriate. I've realized while staying here that you're always such an appropriate person."
"My lord hired me for a good reason, it seems. Is there anything else you need, gentlemen? Shall I bring some specially made cookies from Lord Latrei's shop?"
"Go and fetch a hammer. And if possible, get one made by Lord Picon."
"Oh, Mary. A hammer? Why...?"
"You're really pushing my question aside, oraboni."
"Haha, have a good time. Well then, I'll take my leave."
Phew...
Diphus exhaled a puff of smoke, and a sense of satisfaction appeared on his face. Irritated by Mary's impatience, he gave her a stern look.
"Ok, fine. I got it, I got it. Let me think about it."
"Yes, think about it right now."
"Let's see... nanny Gilly! Wait a moment."
Diphus called out to Gilly as she passed by.
"Yes, Sir Diphus. What can I do for you?"
"When the nanny first came to the clan, was I close to her?"
"Well... Honestly, I'm not sure. I think I mostly had to take care of Young master Jin at that time, so I wasn't paying much attention."
"Did I tell you to ask nanny Gilly for answers!?"
"But when I and the young master started living at the main house, your friendship already seemed very deep."
"Well, it's understandable since we were both flagbearers at that time. Thank you for answering. By the way, how's your injury?"
"Thanks to the care of my comrades, it's been improving. And Sir Diphus, you don't need to apologize anymore."
"Well, thanks for saying that... Anyway, it's better for you to go and rest instead of making the youngest angry by working."
As Gilly nodded and walked away, Mary clinked her spoon against the plate.
"Hmm, hmm! We became friends when you graduated from the beginner's class. I helped you choose a sword back then."
"You picked a sword for me so carelessly. I remember your unfortunate line. Hey, use this one. It's called the viper, a chain sword. It suits dirty-faced brats like you."
"But how long did you actually use the weapon I carelessly chose for you? Until it broke in Rikalton."
"Well, you got it wrong. I chose the viper back then to give you a blow, oraboni. After defeating you one-on-one, I wanted to show that I could even beat you with the sword you chose without any effort... That's all I wanted to say."
"Unfortunately, I never heard that line. Since then, you've always come at me, but you've never won."
"Oraboni, you were already a flagbearer back then, so it would be awkward to brag like that. But do you not remember the time when you underestimated me and got poisoned by viper and suffered for days?"
"When you attacked me during the friendly duel event in the bathroom? Completely breaking the rules. I still have the scar here. Anyway, you should be grateful to me. If I had made an issue out of it, it would have been a big problem. Oh, then we became friends just because I kept my mouth shut!"
"No, that's not it. After that day, you looked at me like I was some kind of pest."
"Mary, does that mean what you did was something a person would do?"
"It was kind of like that. I lost even after doing that."
"I think it's a bit off. I think… It's the day when Joshua prepared a dinner for all siblings, I felt homogeneity while arguing with him. It's that day."
"Well, it felt like it. Even after that day, it was the same during the long years we spent together, feeling the wall between us with elder sister Luna."
"That's a story that applies to all siblings."
"But not the youngest."
"At some point, you found a bundle of magic explosives and said you would blow up my room, and I happened to discover it and stopped you. The day you waited for our father to go to the bathroom so you could challenge him and I stopped you."
"No, you accidentally discovered it, right? I felt like you saw me as a problem child and were watching over me. Now that I think about it, there were no coincidences. It was all a result of oraboni watching over me."
"You did crazy things more than once, so maybe it was that day when I..."
Even after that, Diphus happily recounted numerous past anecdotes with Mary.
No, precious memories.
It had been a long time since they had such a relaxed afternoon. They were so delighted and comfortable that Diphus didn't even realize that he had finished smoking his cigarette, and it was stuck between his fingers.
Mary was also smiling. Sometimes, when Diphus brought up embarrassing stories from the past, she would cover her mouth and laugh, occasionally shedding tears.
"Hehe... Hehehe, sniff. Yes, there were such moments, agh! It surprised me!"
"Hehe."
"Yona! How long have you been there?"
"Since Sir Hedo gave Diphus oppa a cigarette earlier."
"No way."
"Hehe, both Mary unnie and Diphus oppa are such fools. I wonder why the two of you don't know what I know?"
"Oh, so you know when we became friends, Yona?"
Yona shyly smiled and pointed outside the terrace.
On the endless expanse of the blue sea, Mary's puberty ship and the fleet of Cosmos were floating.
"Ah...!"
Mary and Diphus both exclaimed as if they had finally realized.
"That's right! It was that day. The day when oraboni gave my ship a name!"
"Yeah, it was around the time you became a reserve flagbearer and left the clan. But how did you know that, Yona?"
When they turned around, Yona had already disappeared and was nowhere to be found.
And the two of them looked around for a moment and remembered the same moment.
-You are a reserve flagbearer, so there won't be anyone else who promises to protect your ship.
-Since we've fought a lot on land, I might as well intimidate the sailors too.
-It would be nice if the preferred puberty could save the ship. Please come back after experiencing various things and becoming an adult while sailing on that ship.
-Yeah.
-But if it turns out that becoming an adult is too difficult, just come back safely, even if you survive with that ridiculous personality of yours. The fact that you haven't died so far is solely due to me.
-Ah, it seems that the arrogant 4th flagbearer wants to provoke me. Shall we make a bet then? I bet that I'll become stronger and come back. You bet on the side where I become a corpse. What will you give me if I win? Just so you know, I can't give you anything if I lose. I'll be dead.
Looking back, it was that day.
Although Mary initially responded with a sarcastic attitude to Diphus's sincere concerns, that day was the day when the accumulated bond between the two, unknown to them, was conveyed directly through words.
"Once you come back, I'll start watching over you again. If you get into trouble, I'll have your back like I always have. If you recklessly put yourself in danger, I'll stop you... That's what oraboni said to me that day."
"You said I've become fond of taking care of your back as if it's my hobby. Well, you did show a glimpse of cuteness by leaving a note telling me to keep the promise. But it seemed like the first and last time."
"It might be because I was still a kid who caused trouble back then, but why did oraboni do that? Why did he say such awkward things to me, who was such a nuisance?"
It wasn't just words. In reality, Diphus had always taken care of Mary more than himself.
And Mary still didn't know the reason why. Why Diphus had been looking out for her since that time.
"Is there some grand reason behind it? At first, I just felt some strange attachment to you, but as I spent more time with you, it genuinely became enjoyable. Since you became a flagbearer, you've become somewhat more human-like. As your older brother, I feel a great sense of fulfillment."
The reason wasn't important either. The two of them burst into laughter like children.
"Now, do you feel relieved? Can you sleep well from now on?"
Diphus asked, and Mary nodded her head, but then she fell into deep thought.
"...No, there's still one more question I want to ask you, oraboni."
The smile vanished from Mary's face.
"Why did you do that? Why... why did you betray me, the youngest, the clan, the world, and receive the power of the evil god?"
Diphus plucked the cigarette that had completely burned between his fingers.
"Gilly said you don't need to apologize anymore. Even the other comrades... Even though oraboni eventually came to his senses in the end, I still can't accept it. So tell me now. There must be a reason why it had to be that way."
"Mary, let's go for a walk."
"Don't try to avoid answering again. I must hear it today. If I don't hear an answer from oraboni, I..."
"Follow me, let's talk while we walk."
Diphus suddenly got up from his seat and started walking.
Mary, still staring blankly, stood up and followed him.
723
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As the two of them left the Tikan Palace, the gazes of the people on the street naturally converged on them.
Mary was aware of the hostility emanating from the crowd's gaze towards Diphus.
It was only natural.
Even though he had regained his senses in the end, the fact remained that he had massacred hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
It troubled Mary. Her brother's hands were already stained with blood that could never be washed away.
Can I forgive oraboni?
In truth, that question was the real reason why Mary couldn't sleep for the past few days.
Even if she were to hear an explanation from Diphus today, Mary couldn't find it in herself to understand why Diphus submitted to evil god.
They walked in silence for a while as if they had made a promise.
Before they knew it, Diphus and Mary had reached the beach, leaving the city behind.
Their footsteps stretched across the white sandy beach, tinged with the red of the setting sun.
"It feels like we've been walking for three hours."
Mary was the first to speak.
"Is that so? I thought it had only been about thirty minutes."
Diphus replied, turning around.
He saw Mary and the distant view of the Tikan Palace.
"Why are you dragging it out like this? Are you avoiding the conversation after all?"
Resentment filled Mary's eyes as she glared at Diphus.
"That's not it."
"Then what's the reason for stalling with the excuse of taking a walk?"
"You already know."
Mary hesitated, then lowered her head.
"No, I don't know. Just tell me. I've already heard it from the youngest. He said that receiving the power of evil god is only possible if it's done willingly. So if that's true, then oraboni, you didn't betray us by force..."
"That's true."
Thump!
Mary grabbed Diphus's shoulder fiercely. Diphus didn't release her grip.
"You succumbed to torture and surrendered to evil god, is that what you mean?"
"That's not an entirely incorrect statement."
"Lies. The oraboni I know isn't someone who would break under torture."
"No, I truly despaired under the endless torture. Both physically and mentally."
"What kind of torture did you go through?"
"I can't explain it in words. At some point, my consciousness would disappear and then return, like a flickering light bulb. Each time, my memories would disappear a little bit. In the end, I couldn't even remember my own name. But now, everything has returned."
"So, Oraboni's mind was completely destroyed, and you had no choice but to accept the power of evil god... Well, I guess that's the only option. I asked a pointless question."
"Mary."
"Yes?"
"Is this explanation enough for you, considering how I lost myself to torture? Is it enough for you to not be tormented by my corruption anymore? If you have confidence in that, let's go back now."
Mary stared at Diphus for a while without saying anything.
"...No, it's not enough."
As the grip of Mary's hand loosened, Diphus turned around and started walking again.
Mary followed him, watching as his footsteps were erased by the waves.
"On one day, when the torture continued, the evil god that was once our mother, or rather, the monster, told me one thing."
"What did she say?"
"She said that my despair is the greatest help in completing her divinity. The more I suffer and despair, the stronger her power becomes."
"Ah..."
"At first, I didn't believe her words. But I became more and more anxious. If her words were true, then her power would continue to grow as long as I lived and breathed, and I couldn't die as I wished."
A special despair of a special being.
Just like Joshua, Diphus' despair was also the greatest aid in the completion of the divinity.
"After some time had passed, I became convinced. I could clearly see that each time the evil god visited me, its power became stronger. Naturally, I could only fall deeper into despair. If it continued like this, even if our father returned, I felt that he wouldn't be able to kill that monster."
As Diphus calmly continued his explanation, Mary tightly closed her eyes.
"But one day, the evil god made me an offer."
"...To receive its power?"
"Yes. Whether it would continue to torture me and add to my despair or whether I would receive its power and fight against the youngest. Either choice was a cliff."
"If only... if only you had endured a little longer. If oraboni hadn't received the evil god's power, we could have surely gone to save you."
"If that were the case, the evil god would have become an unstoppable existence by now."
"Why did the evil god choose to share its power with oraboni if it wanted to win? According to what you're saying, the evil god could have simply watched oraboni despair and eventually achieve victory."
"The evil god is fixated on the youngest. As soon as I became a fragment, I could see inside the evil god. It doesn't just want to win. It wants to bring the youngest down to the very bottom and then achieve victory. It wants the youngest to become the same existence as itself."
"So oraboni received power to do such things?"
"Lady Mary!"
Before Diphus could reply, someone came running towards them on the beach, calling Mary.
"King...?"
It was Kashmir.
"Lady Mary, the meeting is about to begin. Please come quickly."
"Why did the king personally come to deliver that? Couldn't you have sent someone else?"
Kashmir didn't answer.
Feeling her heart pounding unexpectedly, Mary alternated her gaze between him and Diphus. Diphus didn't stop walking.
"Just wait for a moment. I still have things to talk to oraboni about."
Mary ran after Diphus again. Kashmir had only exchanged a few words with her, but Diphus was already far ahead.
"Hey, oraboni! Are you trying to run away? Slow down! Is accepting the offer of the evil god the only reason?"
"Mary."
"Yes?"
"When you were cornered by the tricks of the prophet in Rikalton castle... What did you feel?"
"Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?"
-Something strange... Somehow, if it were the youngest, I don't think he would keep playing along with this deception.
Mary recalled what she said to the prophet in Rikalton castle.
At that time, when it seemed impossible to defeat the enemy and she felt no hope at all, Mary was engulfed in a strange feeling.
Some great existence... The youngest, he seemed to be able to resolve this situation. She doesn't know why, but it felt like the youngest would ultimately lead this battle to victory.
"I had the same feeling too. When I received the fragment of the evil god, I thought the youngest would come and destroy it."
"Lady Mary! Lady Mary... It's late, you have to attend the meeting."
This time it was Enya. Mary turned to look at Enya and saw the faint lights of the distant Tikan Palace against the dark night sky.
It seemed impossible to return to the Tikan Palace even if they ran all night. It had already become that distant.
Diphus had gone even further. Mary swung her head vigorously and chased after Diphus.
"Oraboni, stop...!"
She barely caught up with Diphus. But Diphus continued to move forward.
"I couldn't come up with a better plan no matter how hard I struggled. So I thought it would be better if I took the fragment and let the youngest destroy me. That way, the power of the evil god would weaken..."
"I understand, I understand. The meeting is about to start. Let's go back for now and talk later, okay?"
"Elder sister Mary!"
"Elder sister, everyone is waiting!"
The voices of the Tona brothers could be heard from behind.
"Why, why is it only me you're looking for? Isn't Diphus oraboni right here beside me?"
Mary shouted without turning to look at them.
If she took her eyes off Diphus one more time, she felt like she would never catch up with him again.
"Diphus oraboni, let's go back. I'm sorry. I've been making you suffer with unnecessary words about the subject who survived because of your sacrifice. So please... just stop for a moment... please."
Soon, Diphus stopped walking and turned back to look at Mary. Mary unknowingly smiled. Diphus' face appeared blurry because of tears.
"Mary. Whatever reason there may have been for my choice, I can never be forgiven. I committed unforgivable acts. I killed too many people."
"But, but in the end, Diphus oraboni came back. You originally received the power to diminish the strength of evil god, and ultimately, thanks to you, many people survived when Glyek subjugated...!"
"Regardless of this and that, I simply lost to evil god. I was weak and lost, and I irresponsibly left the aftermath to the youngest and you."
"People can lose, too...!"
"As a Runcandel, there are fights that must never be lost. So, Mary, don't support me like that, keep fighting. Together with the youngest. Together with the people."
"Why do you keep talking as if you're going to disappear now? Don't do that."
Diphus smiled faintly.
"I told you before, didn't I? Just go back with those people."
Mary grabbed Diphus' hand and turned to look back.
Kashmir, Enya, the Tona brothers who had called out to her earlier, and all of Tikan's comrades were looking at her.
They were gesturing for her to come back.
"It's just a meeting, why is everyone like this?"
"Mary."
"I'll be back soon, with Diphus oraboni."
"Mary, you must go alone."
Diphus said that suddenly, and Mary felt his hand slipping away from her grasp.
No matter how hard she tried not to let go, she couldn't hold on. It felt like a dream, her strength drained away.
Immediately, Diphus gently pushed Mary's shoulder from behind.
"Even though I only experienced it through your dream, Tikan is truly a wonderful place."
"Oraboni!"
"But we have to reclaim our home. The Garden of Swords is the home of the Runcandel."
"Diphus oraboni, don't go!"
"It was nice to be able to walk together after a long time."
Even without me, you must be brave, my little sister.
Oraboni...!
Mary collapsed.
In the moment when she tried to get up again to chase after Diphus, what caught Mary's eyes was not his back.
Her brothers and comrades who were anxiously watching over her were in front of her.
"Elder sister Mary!"
"Elder sister Mary has awakened!"
"Heh, unnie is awake!"
"Elder sister!"
Jin tightly embraced Mary.
Mary stared blankly at the ceiling for a while, then hugged Jin back.
Yona and Tona brothers, too, embraced the two of them.
And Valeria, who was in front of them, opened the recording window to show Mary.
Mary couldn't take her eyes off that record for a long time.
[T/L:- I'm not crying, you are crying.]
724
[T.L: punisher87]
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June 1, 1803.
After the operation was over, the temporary alliance publicly disclosed all the information they had gathered about the Runcandel of Evil god that they had been facing.
The relationship between Evil god and Despair, the identity of the deceased prophet, the reasons for Diphus's corruption, and more.
And the people of the world wore black ribbons on their chests to mourn the people who had been sacrificed to Evil god until now.
It was also to show the temporary alliance that even ordinary people were fighting alongside them.
It was an expression of their determination not to sit idly by and contribute to the despair caused by Evil god.
Those who wore black ribbons did not prepare for exile or fall into mourning. They made efforts to continue their "ordinary" lives, resisting the fear of Evil god in any way they could.
That was the way ordinary people resisted Evil god.
The entire continent was rallying in such a way.
Of course, there were also those who did not do so.
Some shouted that the temporary alliance was lying to hide their incompetence, and some whispered that the Runcandels of Tikan, Joshua and Diphus, Myu and Anne, and Ran and Vigo were already in league with Evil god.
But even those people, deep down in their hearts, had only one wish.
For this hell to end soon.
For anyone to restore the world to its original state.
[Now, only the final summit remains...]
Orgal said.
Currently, the temporary alliance is holding its final meeting in the Tikan Palace in preparation for the battle with Evil god.
"It seems that the spread of despair, confirmed by Veradin's map, has noticeably slowed down. The harvest from the previous operation was quite significant."
Kadun said. This time, Zipfel sent him, not Veradin, in this meeting as representative.
From a purely objective perspective, the temporary alliance had not suffered much in this battle.
Although they had saved only about 30% of the total prisoners, they had rescued nearly 30,000 people, and there had been no significant losses to their main forces in the process.
On the other hand, the Garden of Swords had suffered a severe blow.
First, the Prophet was annihilated, along with the land of Rikalton.
The explosion that started from the sphere during the final battle didn't stop until it wiped out Rikalton on the map.
Myu and Anne also met a perfect death due to the annihilation of the Prophet.
No one witnessed their final moments. Only a hollow record remained as a reminder of that fact.
No one cared or mourned properly for them.
It was an utterly miserable death.
Even the Tona brothers, who had suffered the longest torment from Myu and Anne, were already forgetting about them.
There was no value in remembering them.
Above all, the biggest change was the partial disappearance of the power of Evil god, along with Diphus.
Even Valeria's record magic couldn't determine exactly how much the evil god had weakened.
However, it was clear that the formation of the battleship 'Ram' had completely stopped after the Rikalton operation.
That meant not only had the evil god weakened, but its growth had also come to a halt.
Therefore, now there were two crucial factors in the final battle.
Can Jin defeat Rosa one-on-one?
Can the combined forces of the temporary alliance handle the firepower of the completed battleship Ram?
"I heard that luckily, the forces of the temporary alliance were not overwhelmed by the army of chaos in the Rikalton Castle. Beyond that, if it weren't for the Prophet and the Fourth flagbearer, they probably would have been completely overwhelmed. Excluding the evil god and the battleship Ram, we have a clear overall advantage from the rest of chaos forces."
Therefore, Kadun proposed that Ram be handled by himself, Orgal, and a few others from the highest ranks, while the rest would be deployed to fight the army of chaos.
"It's like putting up a barrier. For your battle with Rosa. Just like the last operation, no other factors should interfere with your fight. The Fourth flagbearer and the Prophet were still captured by you in the end, but... the evil god will be different."
Jin replied with mockery.
"Can you handle the battleship Ram? During the first battle, your fleet couldn't respond at all to Ram's main cannons. Especially you, Kadun, you would have died. Because of the consecutive injuries you suffered since that day, you couldn't participate in the last operation either."
Kadun couldn't shout back as his temperament demanded in the face of Jin's open confrontation.
"I don't understand why you're here at the meeting instead of Veradin."
"With Kelliark's absence, I am the highest authority of the clan."
"You, the proud and arrogant Kadun, give such a docile response. It seems like you received an order from Veradin not to cause any accidents at the meeting, huh?"
[Now that there's only one big fight left, there's no need to waste unnecessary emotions on each other. Although it's temporary, this alliance is unique, so let's make a little more effort to achieve a successful outcome.]
When Orgal spoke, Kadun turned his gaze away from Jin.
[Anyway, unlike the first attack, I have regained some of my strength, and the Prophet is gone. Therefore, the evil god won't be able to control the battleship Ram properly while fighting you. Originally, the Prophet would have used Ram on behalf of the evil god.]
Jin looked at Orgal and Kadun alternately without responding.
Considering the meaning behind the phrase 'temporary alliance'.
'Kinzelo and Zipfel have no intention of using their ultimate weapons, even at this point where Rosa is clearly weakened.'
Orgal's recovery and history manipulation.
As Kinzelo and Zipfel, there was no reason for them to reveal their trump cards now.
Because they should be used when the fight against the evil god is over and the power struggle begins again.
Or perhaps they really can't be used at all.
Because Orgal's recovery requires the remnants of the sun god, and history manipulation requires Valeria's ability.
'Whichever it is, things won't go according to your wishes alone. After the evil god is dealt with, it will be your turn...'
Although they have crossed life and death situations several times as a temporary alliance, Jin still saw Zipfel and Kinzelo as another form of evil god.
One side wants to control the world through the sun god, and the other side wants to control it through history manipulation.
"Well, if you're confident, then fine. But now, we need to make one agreement."
"An agreement?"
[Suddenly, what is it?]
Both Kadun and Orgal expressed their doubts simultaneously.
"After the final battle with the evil god is safely over, the temporary alliance will naturally be disbanded. At that time, I believe we should agree not to attack each other for a minimum of one year."
[It is a necessary condition.]
"I don't think such an agreement gains any enforceability just by stamping it on a document and announcing it to the public. It's meaningless talk. After the war with the evil god ends, everyone can do as they please, regardless of the damage they've suffered."
"Even if it's just a verbal agreement, you must accept it. As the one most likely to be severely injured in the war with the evil god would be me."
"Even if we were temporary allies, a war that has been going on for a thousand years cannot end like this. I will put a stamp on the document, but don't expect much. I will refuse any verification through Azmil's contractor."
"Why bring up Euria? You should know that she is not in a good state right now and cannot use her abilities. It's better if you keep being honest with me, but what if I hold a grudge and side with the evil god?"
"Kahaha!"
Kadun burst into laughter at Jin's words.
"Do you think you can do that? You would be dead, and you are not someone who can side with the evil god. I haven't heard such an amusing joke in a long time."
"I am glad you found it amusing."
"Seeing you suddenly talk about this before the final battle, it seems like you have confidence in the fight against the evil god."
Jin responded with a smile.
[As Kadun said, a document or anything similar cannot have enforceability, so how about we show our good faith to each other?]
"We don't mind, but the 12th flagbearer might not like it. Since you brought up the agreement, it's not just to make the one who breaks it receive public criticism after the alliance is broken."
Jin nodded his head.
"That's right. We need the world to know which side breaks the promise first. It seems like it will be Zipfel judging by the current atmosphere."
"Well, First of all, I don't think it's something to hear from a person who took other people's forces and used their secrets. We'll find out soon enough."
It was a conversation about Hedo and the Holy Land.
Kadun was convinced that Jin would be the first to make a move right after the final battle with the evil god ended.
'If the 12th flagbearer easily overpowers the evil god as we expect, he might attack us immediately afterward. There is a high possibility that an agreement was already made with Kinzelo. So, we need to engage in the final battle against the evil god while preserving the maximum external forces.'
Kadun stood up from his seat.
"That's enough for today. It would be better if Veradin came to tomorrow's meeting instead of you."
Orgal also shrugged his shoulders and stood up.
[We don't want to see this kind of atmosphere in tomorrow's meeting. After all, the evil god is still firmly resisting in Huphester.]
Both of them left the conference room with their attendants.
Jin watched their battleships disappear into the distance for a while, and during that time, Kashmir entered the conference room.
"King Kashmir, how is Euria?"
Since Euria cannot currently use her abilities anyway. So Kadun didn't suspect anything when Jin said that.
It was a known fact among all the allies that Euria had suffered a great mental shock when she foresaw the future of Rikalton Castle before the operation.
However, there was another reason why Euria couldn't use her abilities at the moment.
"She has gotten much better. But I think she needs to rest for a while to stabilize herself."
"Even though she was already suffering from the torment of seeing the future of Rikalton Castle, I burdened her with more.
"I am very proud of my daughter, and her chaos from the verification is also being purified. Please don't worry too much."
Last night.
Euria was exposed to some chaos while verifying the words of 'Lynn Milcano,' who suddenly came to Tikan.
-Guardian of order chief…
-I have something to tell you, 12th flagbearer.
Lynn Milcano, the chief of the Guardian of order.
She was still on the side of 'Runcandel.'
725
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Jin headed towards the underground prison of the Tikan with Kashmir.
Several comrades, including Mary and Tona brothers, were watching Lynn in the underground prison.
Although she was in prison, Lynn was not tied up but sitting at a desk, drinking tea.
[Welcome, 12th flagbearer.]
Lynn stood up from her seat and greeted Jin.
"Chief of the Guardian of order, no, I should call you the Chief of Black Sword Association. I heard Rosa appointed you as the Chief of Black Sword Association."
[As the Chief of the Guardian of order, no, as the Chief of Black Sword Association, I am not qualified to take any position since I couldn't uphold the law of the clan and couldn't execute the traitors. Just call me by my name.]
Jin did not reply and sat in front of Lynn, looking into her eyes that were darkened by chaos.
Although Lynn clearly appeared completely consumed by chaos, she had not lost her sanity at all.
A resolute determination could be felt from her.
Jin sensed the atmosphere that only those who were prepared to endure pain and sacrifice could possess from Lynn.
"The investigation into the information you provided to us yesterday has been completed."
The information Lynn conveyed to the Tikan was about Rosa and the battleship Ram.
According to her, Rosa was currently losing some control over Huphester, and there was one secret about the battleship Ram that Rosa didn't know.
[I'm relieved.]
"Until Euria's judgment is announced, to be honest, I found it hard to believe. I thought the arrival of Dame might be Rosa's plan, or maybe the situation on the evil god's side is not favorable, so you want to return to our side. I had such suspicions."
[I understand. There was no other choice.]
"Why did you make a contract with the Prophet instead of joining the Resistance from the beginning?"
[If I had chosen the Resistance from the beginning, you would not have heard any information about the weakness of the evil god. I also could not reveal my desire to fight together... That's why it would have been hopeless.]
"So you decided to become an insider at the corrupted Garden of Swords?"
When Mary asked, Lynn nodded.
[I thought that by becoming an insider, I would have a chance somehow…]
"I remember very well the day Diphus Oraboni was captured and you saved me."
[But I have lost count of the knights of the clan that I killed with my own hands.]
Lynn placed the teacup down and said.
Jin recognized that she felt guilty.
As an individual, it would have been a better choice for Lynn to fight alongside the Resistance and die honorably.
However, Lynn had obeyed Rosa's orders for moments like these.
For the sake of the clan, she was willing to endure personal pain and guilt, even if it meant being recorded as a terrible betrayer in history.
[Moreover, just like the 4th flagbearer who passed away... I was gradually succumbing to the chaos of the Prophet, forgetting my original intentions. If you hadn't killed the Prophet this time, I would have truly become a traitor.]
There was a moment of silence.
[Has the day of the final battle been decided?]
"Not yet. It will probably be determined in tomorrow's meeting."
[Although it was discussed last night, it would be better to start moving within a month at least. There is not much time left for me and the remaining knights. Our lives are fading away due to the death of the Prophet.]
"Is it because of the contract with the Prophet?"
[Yes. In any case, if we die and then you attack Huphester, we won't be able to help anything.]
Jin nodded his head.
[Then I should go now. If I leave my position empty for too long, it will raise suspicion from the evil god.]
Lynn stood up.
[This might be our last meeting, 12th flagbearer. When you and the temporary alliance begin to attack Huphester, we will focus our efforts on stopping the battleship Ram.]
Temporarily stopping the operation of the battleship "Ram."
That was the information Lynn obtained by becoming an insider.
[Also, even before the Ram comes to a complete stop, that terrible battleship will not attack Vamel Alliance.]
Rosa believed that she alone had control over the battleship Ram.
However, the deceased Prophet had prepared to take away the control of the Ram in anticipation of the day when Rosa had to be dealt with.
That fact was known to Lynn, who was deemed to have finished the "brainwashing."
Lynn reached out her hand to Jin for a handshake.
For a few seconds, Jin alternated between looking at her hand and her eyes.
[Please... defeat Rosa... the evil god, 12th flagbearer. Prevent the ruin of my, our Runcandel.]
Jin clasped Lynn's hand.
He felt the firm and calloused palm of the old veteran who had devoted herself only to the Runcandel clan for decades.
"I will definitely do that."
Jin personally saw Lynn off. As they left the underground prison through a secret passage that led to the sea, the youngest division was waiting for them.
Among them, Mesa stood in front of Lynn, bowing her head.
"Grand Aunt."
[Mesa.]
Lynn smiled, made eye contact with Mesa.
[You have become the knights of an excellent ruler, greater than my generation, as patriarch, Lord Chiron, was once the supreme being of this world, and Rosa is becoming an evil god, plunging the clan and the world into destruction. So, you have a lord worthy of your loyalty.]
"I will become a knight who brings no shame to my lord and clan."
[Good... When the 12th flagbearer restores the clan, you will have a lot to do. Can I leave the rest to you and leave peacefully?]
"Yes, Grand Aunt."
[Excellent.]
The remaining members of the Runcandel clan did not leave their positions until Lynn disappeared beyond the sea.
***
Huphester.
The army of chaos gathered in the Garden of Swords. Eyes tainted by chaos stared at Rosa, who was seated on the throne.
Since becoming an evil god, she showed signs of exhaustion for the first time. Her eyes were dark, her lips were dry, and her hair hung limp.
The chaos she was supposed to absorb from the Rikalton war was not properly absorbed, and the fragment of power she had given to Diphus had completely vanished.
Frenzy.
Rosa gently caressed her beloved sword, which she had used since her days as a human. Occasionally, her finger would be cut by the blade, and black droplets of blood would flow.
Rosa didn't care. She simply absentmindedly ran her fingers along the blade, seemingly unaffected by the pain.
The knight-commanders watching Rosa felt a slight unease. Unlike the lower-ranking knights who were completely consumed by demonic nature, they still retained some semblance of human will and reason.
They had never considered the possibility of defeat in the Rikalton war.
Instead, they had been planning to achieve a great victory and launch a new invasion before the temporary alliance completed their preparation.
But Diphus and the prophet had died, and Rosa was visibly weary even with her army in front of her.
[...The army has gathered, lord matriarch.]
Finally, Lionel stepped forward and spoke to Rosa.
Rosa did not respond and continued to absentmindedly run her fingers along the blade.
A chilling wind occasionally tossed her hair.
[Lord matriarch.]
Lionel called Rosa once more. The high-ranking knights watching Rosa with some remaining sanity felt the unease transmitted through their ranks.
Only Padler, with poison coursing through him, seemed indifferent to whatever happened.
After thirty minutes, Rosa finally spoke for the first time.
[Former patriarch, Sir Lionel.]
[At your command.]
[Have you ever loved a child?]
It was an unexpected and incomprehensible question, and Lionel couldn't understand Rosa's intentions.
[Why...? Is it because of the death of the Fourth Flagbearer?]
[That child was exceptional compared to the vermin over there, but he was not deserving of special affection.]
At those words, Joshua, standing below the throne, flinched momentarily. After the prophet's death, Joshua could no longer produce the special despair he once did. It was because the hope of prophecy had disappeared.
[Please answer the question.]
[Yes.]
[Then what have you done for such a child?]
[It's a difficult question to answer... In my case, I passed on my clan heritage. This very place, the Garden of Swords.]
Upon hearing that, Rosa nodded with satisfaction. Energy spread through her previously dark eyes.
[I also wanted to pass on this place to that child. But I can no longer do so... Before forming a bond with my youngest. As a mother, I feel I should give a proper gift. Something like a playground.]
[A playground, you say?]
Rosa stood up.
[I will build a fortress from now on.]
[At your command, but…]
[It will be the final stage for my youngest. It must be intricate and beautiful, and there must be figures that suit the myth of his death.]
Lionel pondered how he should express his concern, and there was a commotion among the troops.
But the next moment, they could not help but exclaim in admiration as they watched Rosa raise her hand towards the empty space.
Dark pillars suddenly shot up from the left and right of the formation, as if a picture was being drawn on a canvas. Every time she gestured, the skeletal structure of the "fortress" emerged.
Creation that could only be done by a god.
At the same time, a pale aura began to rise like a tidal wave from behind the throne.
It was the sight of new souls escaping from the mausoleum.
Lionel couldn't help but thrill as he felt the power emanating from them.
[While I build the fortress, your task is to simply fill the void and ensure this place doesn't look empty. Prepare for the impending battle in your respective positions. Prepare to receive my son.]
Rosa stopped caressing the sword, and Lionel and the army kneeled in unison.
The ancient heroes, who were beginning to take on physical form as runes appeared along Rosa's touch, also paid homage to her.
And Rosa, standing in the center of the formation, glanced at the Black Sword Association, specifically at Lynn, as if she knew exactly what she was thinking.
Lynn was bowing her head, unaware of Rosa's gaze.