Chapter 707: Soulmate (6)

The first thing that was reflected in my view was Kim Hyunsung’s face that seemed disconcerted. I noticed that he didn’t understand what bullsh*t he was talking about. Even if I were Kim Hyunsung, I would have reacted the same way, saying he was being ridiculous.

‘Corruption? Friend? A contract with the demon?’

I didn’t know what bullsh*t he had been talking about. Kim Hyunsung had never signed a contract with the demon in the first round.

The first time he signed a contract was with Lucifer, and he wouldn’t have signed it had it not been for Raphael. He had an upright soul, after all. I thought that was the case, especially in the first round.

‘It seems that there’s some misunderstanding.’

There was no way to know the details, but I felt like he misunderstood something firmly.

Of course, from Kim Hyunsung’s point of view, it felt like he didn’t have to listen intently to his words. How was he supposed to listen to someone who was so agitated that he couldn’t understand what he was talking about?

He was an enemy in the first place, and he didn’t look normal, which made it seem like he was dealing with him as some random insane guy talking crazily.

One thing I knew for sure was that Thronus remembered me. I began to see Kim Hyunsung’s face gradually harder. He must’ve realized that foreign forces remembered the first timeline. Kim Hyunsung spoke lowly.

He wasn’t likely to have a lot of conversation, but when he looked at the guy he fought against in the first timeline, multiple thoughts probably flooded his mind.

-Do you remember, Thronus?

Even if he tried to talk, it would only be that much.

‘First, that’s some charisma for someone like you.’

-If so, what are you going to do, you filthy deceit?

-What I have to do is the same. You will die. Just like before.

‘Our Hyunsung is coldblooded. Did you do that in the first timeline?’

-I remember everything. I never died, you worthless deceiver. Answer my question, Kim Hyunsung. Where is he?

-…

-I asked where he is.

His expression was similar to when he looked at Raphael but a little different from it. He seemed to be looking at an enemy from a distant past.

The war in the first round was extremely long. Whenever battles took place, they, who were the centers of each camp, were drawn, and I could tell despite not being present back then that they would’ve thrust their swords toward each other without mercy.

In the end, the final winner was Kim Hyunsung, but I could bet that there must’ve been so before a conclusion was drawn.

‘Can I consider them as having a terrible destiny?’

-…

-Don’t pretend like you don’t know! You are a servant of the disgusting demon, and your black wings are proof of that. It was you. You were the main culprit all along!

-You have become a dunce head since we last met, huh.

As Kim Hyunsung said, he really was acting like an idiot.

-Shut up, Seraphim.

-What?

-Shut up, Seraphim.

-…

-We have to think about this again. Even in your eyes, this filthy deceit… No, no. You’re mistaken. He trusted us, so we have to trust him too. He may be in pain and in a terrible situation. You don’t think he betrayed us, do you? You shouldn’t do so, especially after seeing this deceitful person…

-…

‘Suddenly, a wacko comes now…’

Watching him speaking to himself was a spectacle. When I looked into his eyes, I could tell. The bastard wasn’t sane. His eyes looked the same as a drunkard.

-How can you say that, Seraphim! It was you who said you wanted to be with him. You followed him that loyally, so how can you say that?

Based on the situation, I deduced that he was talking to a pigeon named Seraphim…

‘Is the one-man-army tactic conducted by Seraphim?’

Because of the increasingly harsh atmosphere, I couldn’t find it in me to concentrate properly.

-It is you, not me, that isn’t sane, Seraphim. You’re not facing up to what you have to face! If you speak ill of him again…

‘What the hell? What’s up with this bastard? I’m scared. You’ll protect me, right, Hyunsung?’

-If you don’t… I will get him back even if I have to do it alone!

In an instant, the crazy pigeon flew forward and stretched out his sword towards Kim Hyunsung.

Our regressor became a little nervous at his sudden movement. Despite that, however, he managed to pull out his sword. Black and silver swords clashed against one another in the air.

-Kim Hyunsung!

-Thronus!

I wanted to take a picture of the scene where their swords were grinding against each other’s blades as they called out their names like in a boy cartoon, but all I could do was grab my head in the sudden transition.

Baaaaaaaaang!

Immediately after a loud sound was heard and the light spread out, I felt dizzy.

‘Again?’

Like when I witnessed Lee Jihye’s last memory, the sensation of being sucked into another place permeated my whole body. The scenery changed in the blink of an eye.

It was just for a moment, but the phenomenon only disappeared after what felt like quite a long time. I was in a place that felt as though the war had already ended.

The ones sitting amid the ruins and collapsed building was a masked man and Thronus, whom I had just seen.

It was a memory of the first round.

‘I mean, what more do I have to see?’

My head started to throb, but the problem was that I couldn’t cut it in the middle. The panorama that had already begun screening in my brain was constantly flowing into my eyes and head.

“Why did you choose me?”

“Was there a choice? Just…”

“That’s not what I’m asking. What I’m curious about is why you decided to use me. I don’t have an overwhelming force like Seraphim or Cherubim. I’m not as smart as Dominion, either. I’m lucky enough to come to a powerful position. Even if my speed is high due to my wings, that would be all.

“…”

“I’m too soft. I still don’t like killing humans. The same goes for warfare. Destruction and violence don’t fit with us, even though we have a big role to fill in it. Of course, I know it can’t be helped, though.”

“…”

“I also know that it must be done. We’re born that way, after all. Still, I… don’t feel comfortable about it.”

“Thronus is not weak.”

“No… I…”

“Thrones isn’t weak. You might even be stronger than Cherubim, no, Seraphim.”

“But…”

“Why do you love humans?”

“We should love everything…”

“What I’m asking you is why you care for humans so much.”

“…”

“…”

“I… I’ve never thought about it…”

“…”

“… Stars.”

“What?”

“Because humans are like stars in the night sky.”

It was cringeworthy, but the alcoholic pigeon’s face was serious.

‘What the hell is this?’

It was incredible to be able to say that line with sincerity. When I tried to return to reality, Thronus spoke again.

“…”

“Right. I think that expression suits humanity. Humans are like stars in the night sky. They shine brightly. I can’t explain because I’m not good with words, but they’re always shining. Human possibilities are infinite, almost like the universe in which they are located. They create masterpieces in different ways. Haha. Of course, sometimes their light gets extinguished, and lights that are too bright make the other stars desire it, but that nature of them is also beautiful.”

“…”

“All of their existence is amazing.”

“Okay.”

“I have never seen stars shining as bright as they do. Their character is exquisite. Some of them are big, and some are small. Regardless of their differences, they all radiate in the night sky equally. I think the ability to shine on their own is beautiful, too. It’s cool how they paint great possibilities into reality. They’re perfect just the way they are.”

“…”

“Was my answer weird?”

“No. I thought it was just right for Thronus. It made me chuckle.”

“Are you making fun of me…”

“Never. How can I make fun of you? Haven’t you asked why I chose you before?”

“Yes.”

“That’s…”

“Hmm?”

“Because you resemble humans.”

“…”

“I am not saying that in a bad way. It’s exactly as you said. To me, Thronus seems to be one of the twinkling stars in the sky. Humans are fragile. I know very well because I am one of them.”

“…”

“We worry about everything, suffering and thinking constantly. We wonder what’s right and what’s wrong. Thanks to that, we get to make both the right choices and the wrong ones. Still, that’s why…”

“…”

“That’s why I think we can shine.”

“…”

“Because we are imperfect, we go through a lot of trial and error, we regret and suffer, and we fall into anguish every day because some want to undo our kind’s development. However, there are many who don’t want to repeat the same mistakes and many who constantly prepare for our next goal. That’s why we can shine.”

“You think?”

“In that sense… I thought you’re like them. Thronus agonizes and regrets as human beings do, and you worry and fall into deep thoughts because of little things just like them as well. The very evidence of that is the question you just asked me. I always think about it every time I se you asking yourself questions like that. Thronus can shine. You can be stronger, and you can grow. You can fly higher than other angels and even higher than that. That’s why I chose you. Thronus isn’t weak. Rather, you are the strongest of all I have ever seen.”

“That’s… That’s an overcompliment. You’re. embarrassing me.”

“I’m simply being sincere, Thronus.”

“That’s embarrassing.”

“…”

“Human, Won’t you take off that mask?”

“I have an ugly face, and I will feel ashamed if someone sees it. Didn’t I tell you? I won’t ever take my mask off.”

“But…”

Slowly, I saw the guy reaching out to the mask, and the masked trash didn’t try to avoid it. He seemed to be thinking that he would never be able to take off his mask.

As expected, the silver-haired pigeon’s hesitation was visible. In the end, Thronus put down his hand, unable to reach him fully. He stood up and started to stare at the masked man. In response, a garbage voice flowed through his mask.

“The stars in the night sky. Listening to your words, it’s a really lovely view.

‘That crap bastard… look at him sweetening his words.’

“It would be great if we could look at it together next time.”

It was a repertoire that seemed to be seen a lot from somewhere.

“I sincerely hope so.”

“…”

“The stars in the night sky… Okay. Let’s look at it together.”

I couldn’t remember it well, though.