Chapter 1225. At Rohen (3)

“I'm here to deliver a letter that Mr. Lee Ki-Young had left behind,” Aleria said.

“I’ll read it later. Leave it there,” I[1] told her.

I knew that he would leave something behind, but I hadn't expected that he’d leave a letter behind.

I looked away from the letter, but the face of the bodyguard smiling mirthlessly with her head lowered was still fresh in my mind.

The letter probably wasn’t anything important. I was sure it contained nothing but some last-minute thoughts... or things he wanted to get off his chest. It was so like him. He knew he wasn’t going to survive, so of course he’d leave something like this behind.

When I turned to Paradiso once again, I heard a familiar voice.

“You may not want to read it, but why not give it a read anyway?” Grandpa Bolt suggested.

“

Hmph.

”

“Are you really not going to read it?” Grandpa Bolt asked.

“I just... don’t want to read it right now,” I answered.

“But...”

“His last words aren’t important. I’m sure it’s filled with nothing but nonsense,” I said.

“Still, the letter was left behind by Ki-Young,” Grandpa Bolt said.

“I’m sure I told you that I didn’t want to read it right now,” I told him.

“I’m telling you to read it because I’m afraid that you really won’t read it. I understand how you feel, but don’t hate him too much,” Grandpa Bolt said.

“I just have many things to handle right now. That’s all,” I said.

“Things to handle? Come to think of it... you said you wanted to be a hero, right? This will sound like mere consolation, but Woo Hyo-Yeol, believe me, you’re already a hero,” Grandpa Bolt said.

“...”

“...”

“I didn’t do it, Gramps,” I told him.

I saw Raymond Bolt looking down at Paradiso.

“I... didn’t do this...” I mumbled.

“...”

Obviously, I didn't create the sight before me with my own two hands.

The countless battles, the fight with the Monarch of Sunset, even turning Rohen into a paradise, none of it was truly my doing.

And no, I wasn't being humble here. If it weren’t for Lee Ki-Young, I wouldn’t even be here right now. On that day, when the despair-inducing sunset engulfed everything, my final victory was nothing more than a fluke.

I didn't defeat the Monarch of Sunset. Instead, he was recalled.

Without Lee Ki-Young, I wouldn’t have been able to keep going.

Just when I was ready to give up because I was too weak to move, he gave me that one final push. Even if I were given another chance, there was no way I’d be able to do it again. That fight... was never truly mine.

It was Lee Ki-Young’s fight, and he vanished afterward.

He told me that I could do it and disappeared.

I still couldn’t believe it.

And to top it all off, he even left this letter behind.

‘Paradiso... What a waste of effort...’

He disappeared and left me a burden I could never carry.

‘What did he even see in me?’

I was never the type of person to enjoy drowning in doubts, but even after all this time, I still couldn’t help but wonder. What exactly had he seen in a guy like me? Why had he approached someone like me, an idiot with a twisted personality?

He didn’t know anything about me, so what exactly did he see with those eyes?

Why had he insisted on turning me into a hero?

No matter how much I tried to understand it, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

He seemed like he understood everything about me, but I had zero information about him.

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it felt.

I couldn't believe that I knew basically nothing about him.

I had no idea why he chose me. Even though the only pieces of information that he knew about me were my name and age, he still chose me.

I quietly turned to Raymond Bolt.

“Hey, Gramps.”

“...”

“What kind of person was he?” I asked.

“Why do you suddenly want to know more about him?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“It’s nothing like that. It's just that... I realized that I knew nothing about him,” I told him.

“What I saw and what you saw are probably not that different. Ki-Young was...” Raymond Bolt trailed off and paused for a while before continuing, “He was ridiculously kind. He was so kind to the point of foolishness.

"He'd always think of other people before himself. He was always brave, sincere, pure, and unwavering in his beliefs. He was someone who would never yield to evil.

"There was something about him—something that made people want to be near him. Yeah... he was just like paradise itself,” Raymond Bolt described.

“Paradise?” I asked.

“Do you see it?” Raymond Bolt asked.

I mumbled as I wiped off the tear near Grandpa Bolt’s eye. I lowered my head slowly and looked at Paradiso again.

“I see paradise,” I answered.

“Frustrating fool...” Raymond Bolt lampooned.

Somehow, I felt like I could understand what he was trying to say.

This world was currently being shattered, destroyed, and reassembled, but Paradiso was still standing firm, holding onto its form without faltering at all.

It was sheltering many in its embrace, offering them safety.

That was how I remembered him as well.

He reached out to the weak and those who had been forgotten. No matter how painful or dark things got, he never gave up on hope. Even after getting knocked down, he would always get back up. He never drowned in despair or surrendered to it.

“But at the same time... he was fragile, too,” Raymond Bolt added.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“...”

“What do you think about the rumors circulating around Paradiso?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said.

“The rumor about the Saint of Flower and Fertility being a prophet,” Raymond Bolt said.

“It’s not even worth responding to. He’s not a prophet, an angel, or some kind of god,” I told him.

“Really?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“He was a coward, struggling desperately just to survive. He often revealed his jealousy or competitiveness over things he never had. He kept saying he was fine, but I remember him breaking down in tears like a child.

"Sometimes, he’d walk away, saying that he was too annoyed to talk to me, but there were times when he criticized me for no reason simply because he didn’t like what I was doing,” I answered.

“...”

“On the surface, he always said he was fine, but I could see the fear in Lee Ki-Young’s eyes. It’s pretty ironic. He was strong enough to carry all that burden and still keep going. I don’t know what made him feel so damned responsible... but the guy was a fool. Nothing like a prophet or a god,” I added.

“Is that what you really think?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“You won’t find another fool like him,” I said.

“And?”

“I couldn’t stand how he approached life and the world. I was born into this world as a fiercely selfish person. We were different from the very beginning. but... there was... definitely... something about him—something that drew people in. Something that made you want to follow him,” I added.

“...”

“Bastard. That bastard...” I mumbled.

“...”

“He’s a bastard. Yeah, a crazy bastard who manipulated people and decided everything on his own terms. He was doing that not out of hatred, but due to his twisted sense of kindness and goodwill. He was gaslighting people as if they were fools.

"There’s no demon worse than him. That guy’s no prophet,” I said.

I tried not to get upset, but I couldn't stop feeling angry.

“If it wasn’t for him, I’d be living comfortably right now, doing what I pleased. That bastard, the Monarch of Sunset... I still wouldn’t hesitate to blow his head off cause I never liked him.

"Saving the people of Rohen... none of that was ever my thing. If it weren’t for his damn beacon, I wouldn’t lead these pests here and if he hadn’t shown up—Damn it! I can’t stand how pathetic I feel right now,” I complained.

“...”

“That asshole forces responsibility on others,” I added.

“You think so?” Grandpa Bolt asked.

“I was nothing but a thug, but that bastard made me want to be some kind of damn hero. That damn bastard. He made me want to do all the things I held in contempt, and he made me crave the very things I hated the most.

"Do you realize how bad that is, Gramps?” I asked.

“...”

“Lee Ki-Young... that asshole... Lee Ki-Young... you asshole! He changed me!” I yelled.

My vision blurred, not because I was about to cry.

My nose tingled but it wasn’t because I was thinking about that damn fool.

“I was nothing... but he turned me into this,” I said.

“It was a pointless question,” Raymond Bolt said.

“What?”

“You know Ki-Young pretty well. There are some things I don’t necessarily agree with, but you know Lee Ki-Young better than you think,” Raymond Bolt said.

“Nonsense,” I mumbled.

“It looks like you know him better than I do,” Raymond Bolt added.

“I...”

“So, what are you going to do now?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“...”

“...”

“I’m not sure,” I replied.

What did I want to do? I never thought about it, but I definitely had a goal.

“I suppose I have to wait for this miserable situation to pass. After that, Paradiso and all that are none of my business. William seems to have regained consciousness, so he’ll take care of it. At least he’s more suitable for this position than I am,” I said.

“And what about you?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“I’m going to figure out a way to bring him back,” I answered.

“Really?”

“Both you and William survived, right? The scene before me really feels unreal, so bringing him back almost seems like an easy task. What... was it like for you, Gramps?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Like I told you before, I don’t remember anything. When I opened my eyes, all I could remember was that this place was called Paradiso. I don’t know why I’m still alive, and I don't know why the heavens spared this old life of mine and took away the life of that bright, radiant flower of a child instead.

"It fills me with nothing but bitterness toward the heavens,” Raymond Bolt answered.

Raymond Bolt’s eyes were clearly full of regret.

“I feel like I’m stuck with a huge task in the final years of my life,” Raymond Bolt said.

“It’s probably not as burdensome as the homework he gave me,” I commented.

“Probably. It certainly seems like you’ve been entrusted with something more important... and it appears that he trusts you,” Raymond Bolt said.

I saw the old man looking at me with a slightly bitter expression. His gaze seemed to be fixed on one of my eyes.

The faint light emanating from my eye was suddenly fading away. I unknowingly placed a hand before my eye and saw that the light was indeed disappearing.

The golden light coming from my eye was slowly going out.

I couldn't help but wonder why I was feeling this growing emptiness in my heart. I had always been alone. I was someone who found solitude more familiar and comfortable, so why was I feeling so empty?

Now that I believed it was truly over, why was I feeling so... drained?

“Are you okay?” Grandpa Bolt asked.

“Don’t... talk to me, Gramps,” I mumbled.

“It’s because he wants to move on,” Raymond Bolt said.

“I’m never going to let him move on. I’m going to bring him and tie him up here,” I said.

“Woo Hyo-Yeol... are you... crying right now?” Raymond Bolt asked.

“Go away before I kill you... Gramps...” I warned him. Was I crying? I couldn’t tell what expression I was making, but I kept my head down.

My shoulders and jaw would tremble every now and then.

Just then, I noticed something on the ground. I thought it was raining, so I wanted to look up, but I didn't have the courage to raise my head.

And that was when I heard Raymond Bolt's voice again...

“Like I said earlier... from what I can see, you seem to know Lee Ki-Young pretty well.”

“...”

“Still, the fact that you’re thinking that way means you clearly want to know more about him. The time you two had spent together wasn’t a short while, but it wasn’t long either,” Raymond Bolt added.

“...”

“If you want to understand him better, read the letter,” Raymond Bolt suggested.

“...”

“I’m sure Ki-Young wants you to do that as well,” Raymond Bolt added.

And... a good while after the old man left, I picked up the letter.

[Hello, Mr. Hyo-Yeol.]

It was a rather mundane opening.

1. Woo Hyo-Yeol’s POV ☜