Chapter 623: That’s a Lie (1)

‘Let’s not get used to kindness.’

“You have to be suspicious.”

‘He’s poison.’

“It’s right to be suspicious to the end.”

‘Don’t ever trust him. That’s how you learned it.’

“Everything is acting, and it’s all calculated behavior.”

‘There is no need to be agitated. Let’s not be shaken. Don’t be shaken.’

I slowly looked into the mirror and began to mutter once again, but my mind was still confused.

It was because I couldn’t make a good judgment about exactly what happened.

The longer I spent there, the longer I faced Lee Kiyoung, the more I was forced to ponder what the truth was.

“The demons in angelic masks…”

Benignore’s prophecy that I thought was a lie.

I thought it was just to agitate people, but I couldn’t think of anything else when I saw it with my own eyes. Of course, the possibility that what I saw was not true was overflowing.

I had heard rumors that Celia’s shaman could see the future, but I couldn’t prove that what I saw was indeed true. I only accepted it as the truth because of the realism I felt through my skin.

That, too, could be manipulated and could just be a means to control the warrior chosen by the Holy Sword and use him as a chess piece.

“However…”

The problem was that I couldn’t find such circumstances to prove that claim.

‘How did it happen? Is the information I have really factual?’

It wasn’t unreasonable for such a question to arise naturally. I thought that the demon’s daily life trying to contain the continent in his hand would consist of days upon days of living a debauchery life surrounded by all kinds of dinners and drinking with the powerful.

After the promotional video shown in the Goddess’ Mirror was over, I thought he would enjoy the power, honor, and wealth he had built up.

However, that wasn’t the case. I hadn’t passed much time there, but it wasn’t, at least in my own eyes. Lee Kiyoung was the kind of person who didn’t enjoy the power, fame, and wealth he had built up.

‘Why… Why?’

“Why don’t you enjoy it?”

Wasn’t he there to enjoy all of that?

It wouldn’t be strange to think that humans wanted those kinds of needs to enjoy them.

However, his life was exactly the opposite. He was in the highest position and worked like he was in the lowest position.

He spent his time hanging out with the marginalized and devoting himself to them.

If the human Cardinal Lee Kiyoung were truly a power-driven dictator, he wouldn’t do that.

‘Maybe it’s all for show.’

I thought so, but what kind of human would sacrifice himself just for show?

Wasn’t that the same for the Continental Protection Management Committee?

He didn’t wield his power. He just sacrificed himself.

He used his own power only to stop the demons that wore angelic masks.

Many of the resources he earned before he got the position was used to construct the walls and soldiers’ supply.

His power wasn’t used to deprive others of their freedom and rights but to keep them safe. His honor wasn’t used to elevate himself but to reassure the lowly.

His daily life was harsher than that of any soldier or continental people. At least that’s what I’ve seen thus far. His daily schedule itself was hard to understand from the public’s point of view.

Didn’t it seem that he was really struggling all for the sake of preventing the continent’s destruction?

‘There’s no way he would do that.’

Was all of it scripted and planned scenes made to show to an individual named Raphael?

‘Why are you trying to show me this?’

No… From the reaction of the people around him, it was true that he was on a brutal schedule.

I felt like a fool. What I knew and what was happening right in front of me was completely contradictory.

‘It was a lie? Was what the Heads and members believed really a lie?’

I couldn’t admit it. That was why I couldn’t let go of the doubt until the end.

‘Stay alive, Raphael. At least you should.’

“It can’t be a lie.”

‘If there is even one person who supports us… with that alone… we will…’

“The leader couldn’t have lied.”

‘Our purpose is the liberation of the continent. Liberation of the continent he ruled.’

“That was all acting? Nonsense.”

‘You don’t need to carry a sword, Raphael. It’s enough for us to fight.’

“It can’t be acting. It obviously wasn’t. The time spent with the members… everything…”

‘Do you not trust us either? The world you know is a world full of lies and hypocrisy, kid.’

“There’s no reason to fool me. There was no reason for the leader to save me.”

‘It’s a difficult time, but… I think it’s right to take him. I can’t just watch him. It may be dangerous, but even morality cannot be abandoned.

“I’m right.”

‘I’ll let you know my name later. Nice to meet you, kid.’

“All those encounters… can’t be a lie!”

‘You can call me uncle. For now.’

“It can’t be… a lie!!!”

Craaack!

Along with the sound of the glass breaking, the mirror in front of me shattered and fell.

It was funny to see various images of myself reflected through the cracks of the split mirror. I didn’t feel any pain, and perhaps it was because of the training I had been going through.

However, it hurt. It hurt so much that I couldn’t stand it.

“Sniff… Sniff… What is the truth? Tell me, sir. If you are watching, please tell me. Have I gone crazy? Am I being brainwashed as you told me I would? Is Lee Kiyoung really the kind of person that the leader said? Please… please tell me.”

I stopped talking and simply waited for an answer.

“What should I believe… Please tell me. Please tell me that you weren’t lying.”

There was no reply.

“What you told me is the truth, right? Can… can I think so?”

When I wiped my tears and looked at the broken mirror, it reflected my face back at me.

I couldn’t even determine what kind of face I was making.

However, I was forced to wipe away my tears. The time to meet him was approaching.

As a member of the Continental Protection and Management Committee, the time had come for me to learn about the overall work, which was the only way to address my current questions.

Once again, I cleared my mind and left the room, and what I saw was someone smiling at me.

Just as usual.

It was a face surrounded by kindness, warmth, and concern, always showing a bright smile.

Wasn’t it the same face as usual? I felt that it wasn’t fake at all.

He was worried about me. From the time when I couldn’t concentrate on training properly, He had been sympathizing with me.

I could say with certainty that his sympathy was for the one who lost his daily life after being chosen by the Holy Sword.

‘It’s not just because of that.’

I wanted to say that… But I couldn’t.

Whatever the case, it was clear that the current situation was in my favor.

If he really sympathized with me and cared about me, I should be delighted.

Not only could I hide my own worries… but gaining the trust of Chairman Lee Kiyoung was one of the major requirements I needed to promote the cause.

“How are you feeling today?”

As usual, I nodded when he asked about me.

“You seemed so tired that I reduced your schedule a bit. Maybe next week or so, we will be visiting the soldiers for consolation. You will also take a tour of the forward bases with me.”

“Yes…”

“This part is about finding out what the troops in the forward base need the most and which ones will help the most… Of course, we know all the managers’ recommendations, but what you feel in the field will be slightly different. You’d realize what the troops really need.”

“Yes, Kiyoung.”

“Perhaps Raphael’s visit will be a great help to them. The same goes for those in the joint training camp.”

“…”

“…”

“Are you a bit better now?”

“Yes… I think I got over it a bit.”

“It’s always something I say, but you don’t need to overdo it.”

“It’s okay, Kiyoung. I think you are doing more… than me…”

He looked so tired that I could tell from a glance.

He pretended to be okay but wasn’t that the face of a man who was barely surviving an extremely grueling schedule?

Taking care of me was probably also apparently affecting his health.

Since he visited the training ground with Cha Hee-ra the other day, his health seemed to deteriorate rapidly.

‘I shouldn’t be bothered. It’s none of my business.’

If he was physically and mentally pushed to the limit, it was right to feel delighted.

“That’s fortunate.”

“What?”

“I thought it was fortunate that you seemed to have found your usual self a little bit. It seems that you haven’t even eaten properly since that day… I was very worried…”

“That’s because… you kept… taking care of me.”

That was true.

After realizing that I was confused, Chairman Lee Kiyoung forcefully took the time to join me.

There wasn’t a big reason. It was to spend a short break together.

We simply drank tea together or chatted. My mind was still confused, but it’s undeniable that I was invigorated.

He had the ability to make people feel comfortable, regardless of everything being false or true.

I had a smile on my lips without even knowing it. That person had that kind of power. Even though I kept thinking I shouldn’t get used to it, that it was poison, I ended up naturally accepting it.

I decided it was poison, but I drank it with that sweetness.

I looked at Lee Kiyoung once again, hardening my face.

‘What are you doing?’

His condition seemed strange.

‘What are you doing now?’

He seemed to have a distant expression. It looked like his soul had been deprived somewhere.

I couldn’t explain exactly what, but it felt like he was lost for a moment.

Even the way he frowned and grabbed his head didn’t seem normal to anyone.

‘What’s up with you… are you sick?’

I couldn’t help but think of it that way.