Chapter 803: The Last (36)

“You too want the same thing as what Lee Kiyoung had.”

-Thank you for your feedback, Kim Ye-ri. I will make sure to remember it in the next training session.

-It seems that you didn’t really understand what I had just said. I…

-Sorry, but I think I need some time to organize your feedback. I should also say thank you, Cho Hyejin. We have prepared meals and banquets for you, so please enjoy yourselves. If you have no other appointments, you can stay here. If you need anything, please feel free to tell me…

-Let’s go home. I’m uncomfortable, unnie.

-Thank you for the offer, but we’ll go back. I have a lot of work to do…

-That’s a shame, but I guess it can’t be helped. My aides will guide you outside. Once again, thank you for the hard work… Then, I will see you in two days.

-…

-I don’t know how different he will be in two days, unnie.

-Ye-ri.

-What? I didn’t say anything wrong.

‘You were too harsh.’

It was scary to see her whispering to Cho Hyejin as if it wasn’t enough to persistently deal a lot of damage. Although she whispered inaudibly, her voice leaked out, seemingly trying to let others hear on purpose.

It was a provocation that made me think if that would make the Benignore Church’s priests angry and lose their reason, but the Song Villain couldn’t seem to hear her voice at all.

Unlike when he rejected my advances, now he seemed to be worried that my voice would be cut off.

It looked like he was bothered that I said he wanted the same thing Lee Kiyoung had.

After he said something to Cho Hyejin and Kim Ye-ri that was close to kicking them out, I could determine what his status was just by seeing him leave the rest to his aides.

It was more appropriate to say that he couldn’t afford to take care of them rather than ignoring Kim Ye-ri and Cho Hyejin.

Of course, even so, the fact that he was neglecting the two remained unchanged…

‘You can’t see anything after having a taste of power? Or are you confused?’

Maybe it was both. Regardless, the one thing that mattered was that our Ye-ri did a good job.

‘I think she carried this match.’

-I don’t feel good about him. He’s annoying. Trash.

-You worked hard today, Ye-ri.

-…

-Are you okay?

-How can I be?

It was so lovely to see her clearly expressing her displeasure while leaving the committee headquarters.

‘You saved the continent.’

It wasn’t because she hurt Song Sookyung’s pride.

Of course, Kim Ye-ri’s harsh comments had undermined his self-esteem, but I didn’t think he would hold my hand with just that.

Wouldn’t the key comments she made in the interim strike his heart?

Apart from realizing his incompetence, he might have despaired that he wasn’t likely to be chosen by the god of sunset. His hopes, such as wanting to stand by, wanting to be recognized, wanting to be together, wanting to follow, and so on, had begun to crumble.

The anxiety that no matter how much time passed, he’d never catch up dawned upon him. The thought of never being chosen underlined the spirit of the man who had already been at the end of his rope. The contract would go smoothly as long as I presented only the right points of agreement.

Why?

Because he didn’t have time, either. There was no way he didn’t know that we only had a few moments before the big bomb would go off.

As expected, after sending out Cho Hyejin and Kim Ye-ri, he started to move quickly again.

I was worried that he would go into the secret temple in his room, but he seemed to think it wasn’t a suitable place to talk to someone who was potentially a demon.

Eventually, I saw him whispering after going to the training ground.

-Who are you? The… one that keeps talking to me.

“You probably know the answer to that already, foolish mortal.”

-Who are you?

“The one who can give you what you want.”

-How… can you talk to me?

“Because your despair reached me. Your despair for a god brought me here.”

-You are a demon. A dirty demon bastard.

“Why do you call me a demon, mortal?”

-…

“To claim that I am a god or a demon is nothing but an act of proving your stupidity. If you call me a demon, I will become a demon, and if you call me a god, I will be a god. If you want to deny both, you can. If you think that I’m an unknown transcendent being, I will become a transcendent being, and if you think I’m your helper, I will be your aide. It lies on you to judge which reality is more beneficial. There’s nothing more stupid than asking me for an answer. What do you want to hear? What answer do you want from me?”

-What bullsh*t is that…?

“The world, more than you know, has a complex and diverse will to manage this continent. It is not a problem that can only be interpreted through the human eye. I’m not telling you to understand me, but you seem to need to broaden your horizons a little more.”

-You say… you’re not a demon?

“I am the continent itself and the will that dwells within the continent. You cannot define me by the words god or demon. I am not telling you to serve me or worship me. I wouldn’t even tell you to sell your soul. You are…”

-I’m a believer of the god of sunset.

“I wouldn’t even tell you to forsake your faith in him.”

It was small, but I thought there was an atmosphere for conversation.

He still seemed to be wary of me, but the last comment was decisive, and he realized that I wasn’t going to test his beliefs.

Although I could see him thinking, he felt good enough to have a conversation with me.

He was still biting his lips tightly, and he seemed to be wondering whether to believe me or not, though.

-How can I believe your words?

“I have never asked you to believe in my existence. It is purely your will to hold my hand or not, and if you refuse, I will only go to someone else.”

-What do you mean by that?

“I did not appear to answer your curiosity.”

-What did you mean when you said that I wanted the same thing as Lee Kiyoung?

“If I explain that he also received my help, it would be quick.”

-What?

“He, too, asked for my aid, Mortal.”

-Is that so…

He nodded subtly. As if he was convinced, I could see him biting his nails anxiously.

In fact, that was probably how it looked. Lee Kiyoung’s achievements couldn’t be explained by anything other than the telescope and the Mind’s Eyes.

If he didn’t know that, it would be natural to think that I’d been helped or signed a contract with some transcendental being. If he thought about it, he might conclude that there were many strange things about my past life. I didn’t think he had to come up with various hypotheses.

That bastard tried not to acknowledge Lee Kiyoung’s existence in the first place.

In the myth of sunset light, did it make sense without the Son of Light? Nevertheless, he deliberately ruled out the work of the Son of Light, so it was probably putting weight on the latter.

“He wanted to stand next to the sunset god.”

-…

“He wanted to follow in his footsteps, and he wanted to walk with him. It was a distorted, ugly desire, and it was also a child’s pure admiration and a dreamlike emotion. It was his will, the Son of Light, that awakened me. I was raised again by his desires and dreams, and the Son of Light finally got what he wanted. Not only did he stand next to him equally, but he was also chosen…”

-…

“By the sunset god.”

At this, he swallowed hard.

“That was faith and an expression of respect. Although he was a human… he really wanted to stand next to god.”

-What did he get?

“Everything that he needed and wanted. You can also receive the same. Of course, only if you want to…”

Looking at him becoming troubled was very fun. He seemed to be judging whether or not to believe the voices he heard within him, but he was probably convincing himself above that.

The bait I threw at him was that sweet.

‘You can stand next to your god.’

‘You can be chosen by him.’

‘You can be recognized by him.’

Those kinds of baits. It wasn’t a temptation that was easy to say no to, even for priests.

Just to be able to stand next to Benignore, I could assure anyone that believers who would offer their souls would appear en masse.

That was martyrdom, a sacrifice for god.

The Paladins who were fighting for their lives, the heretical inquisitors who didn’t spare their own bodies, all worked under the notion that they would be able to rest by Benignore’s side if they died.

Some religious beliefs, which were no different from madness, obscured or firmed human judgment. The desire to get closer to deities was that scary.

‘This bastard is no exception.’

A small light shone in his eyes while he fell into the void, so it wasn’t important to judge whether there was danger or not.

He was still convincing himself.

He told himself that the one talking to him was not a demon, that accepting my offer wasn’t a betrayal to the god of sunset, that everything was for his god and him.

He had to make unavoidable choices to make his god perfect.

-If I don’t accept the suggestion… what happens?

“That’s a stupid question. Nothing will happen to you.”

-If so…

“Because you are not the only one wanting to walk with a god.”

‘Even if you don’t, another bastard will.’

-…

‘You don’t have to be the one who can walk with the sunset god.’

-I…

‘I’m not in a hurry. You are.’

-I am…

‘Are you going to let someone else take him away again? You want it, right? Fuck, you do. I know you want it.’

“Take my hand, mortal.”

-…

“Everything you want will come true.”

-Oh, God. Oh, God…

he even started praying. I didn’t know why he was crying, but I felt like he was fighting a tremendous internal conflict.

-Oh, God…

“…”

Nothing could be seen in the dark room. Considering his expression, I didn’t think I had to say something.

The demon hiding inside of him reached out to him.

With a distorted smile, he grabbed that hand.

“You will get what you want.”

-…

“The eyes and heart of the Son of Light.”

-…

“That is what you seek.”

As I opened my mouth, I started to laugh.

‘Such a killer setup. Really.’

It was a classic cliché, but one simply couldn’t go wrong with the royal road.