Chapter 174 - The End of the World (3)
I sheathed my sword. The vibration of Bifröst had already ceased. The black flames engulfing the sword blade had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
I opened my eyes and looked forward.
The palace in ruins, as if nothing had happened, had returned to its original state.
The surfaces of the tables remained intact. From the blond youth in the main seat to the leaders of the various factions and the church officials, everything was just as before.
"It seems like everything returned to normal."
However, a question lingered.
What I had just witnessed couldn't be explained.
Above all, my intuition, accumulated after so many years on the battlefield, resonated fiercely. It couldn't be so peaceful.
Clack. Clack.
The noise obstructing my vision dispersed.
I sat back down on the empty chair beside the table.
"I won't accept this ending!"
The situation...
Priacis stood up abruptly, expressing her displeasure.
"To end it here after enjoying a dinner together? What a joke! Our warriors are still shedding their blood outside!"
"So... what does Her Highness the Princess suggest?"
Hmm. This is the moment. It doesn't seem like much has changed. For now, that's all.
As I raised my hand over the table, I listened to the conversation that followed.
The flow of the discussion wasn't different from what I had just witnessed. Priacis was furious, while the priests and knights tried to stop her. They said there was no other choice, that we had to accept what was happening. And then Priacis would speak again.
"But... there's still one option."
Priacis's eyes turned to the Saint.
"Saint, hasn't the goddess's oracle descended? I heard it contains crucial clues to saving the continent. Why keep it secret?"
I observed the Saint to the left of the table.
A young woman dressed in a white tunic with the church emblem and a crimson cloak.
Her expression betrayed a calmness that didn't match her youthful appearance.
The course of events was similar.
The Saint asserted she couldn't hide the oracle, while a priestess contradicted her, and Priacis intervened with an incisive comment.
"It's not a misunderstanding. I heard it clearly. The goddess gives us a chance... a chance to start all over again."
"What do you say, Your Highness?"
"Go back in time. Several years back."
"If we return to that moment, there could be a different outcome. Isn't it regrettable to surrender like this? To end without knowing anything, without even knowing the enemy's identity. I can't accept it. If there's even a small chance, shouldn't we try?"
"Is that true?"
"It's true that the goddess gave us such an oracle."
"Why did you hide it?"
"That's..."
This is where it begins.
I took a deep breath.
"Priacis."
But the one who spoke next wasn't the Saint, but the blond youth in the main seat.
Priacis looked at him suspiciously.
"You didn't know, Big Brother?"
"I knew. I knew."
"Then, why...?"
"Do you know what we would have to give up?"
"Of course."
The plot took a different turn.
"If I could really have done it, if I could have saved our imperial citizens and the continent, would I have hesitated? Answer me. Was I... so ridiculous?"
"But..."
"It's true that we were given an oracle. I also received the proposal to go back in time."
The youth furrowed his brow.
"But... for a chance, would you be willing to push all life on the continent into the abyss of hell?"
"What... does that mean?"
"Princess, there's a price."
The Saint tilted her head.
"Our goddess is not a perfect creator. To perform miracles, an equivalent amount of offerings and restrictions are required."
"I've seen it."
The Saint bit her lip.
"Become pawns of someone, suffer eternally without living or dying. The intact continent will tear apart, and the past and future will lose their meaning. We'll only become slaves."
"That's..."
Becoming pawns without living or dying.
Losing the meaning of the past and the future and enduring infinite pain.
I remembered the monsters trapped in the tower. They would die over and over again. They would become a precious source of experience for the heroes.
In the end, both monsters and heroes were just toys for the Master.
It was just a game.
"Priacis."
The youth looked at Priacis with a gentle expression.
"I understand you. I'm angry too. How could I not be? After so much blood and sweat, how could I easily accept this ending?"
The youth closed his eyes.
"Nothing is eternal. Both humans and other races, the empire and this continent, and even the universe. If there's a beginning, there's an end. That conclusion came from us."
"..."
"There's no time to waste, let's not play a game of chance to satisfy our momentary satisfaction."
Priacis said nothing.
She sat with a distorted expression and bowed her head deeply.
"So... are you saying we should end it like this?"
A choked voice mixed with sobs came out.
"The subjects of the empire, the lives of other races, our children..."
"Who could understand this, Your Highness?" Someone beside the youth said.
On his identification plate, it read 'Head of the Lantia Family.'
"If only we could save them. But if we take such a measure, what will become of the brave warriors who have sacrificed their lives for the continent until now? Even if we've lost, we haven't lost our dignity. That's the only thing we can carry with us. Besides, Your Highness the Prince..."
"Go on, speak."
"We don't plan on ending this like this, do we?"
The youth smirked.
"Of course not. We also have our pride. After all, we shouldn't put aside our last strike."
The youth stood up from his seat with his golden cape fluttering.
His golden eyes shone like the sun.
"We'll clearly show everyone that we exist here, that we live passionately day by day, and that we don't lose our pride even in death."
"Right! We've been waiting for it, prince!"
The king of beasts clenched his fist and stood up.
"Ferseine, how's the situation down there? Are the women and children safe?"
"Yes, everyone has been evacuated."
"Close the underground doors. We'll fight to the end."
The young man raised his golden scabbard.
"We won't die easily. Our flesh will be torn, our bones will break, and our entrails and brain fluids will stain the ground. But until the last of us, we will show our resistance to those bastards. Are you all in agreement? Are you ready to die with me, alongside the Taonier we love?"
"We'll follow him to the end."
The three leaders knelt in a row.
Then, the Holy One and the knights of the order bowed deeply.
The leaders of the non-human races laughed carelessly.
"Where else can you find a more impressive death? Anyway, we'll all die someday. So, would you prefer to live and die like a hunched old man in a cell? Or would you prefer to die like a hero who will be remembered in history? Answer, humans. Will you die in fear or in pride?"
The atmosphere changed.
Near the table, the expressions of humans and monsters trembling in fear began to change.
The trembling goblins drew knives, while the ogres wielded axes with both hands. The knights drew longswords, and the lizardmen brandished their staves.
"Do not be afraid. I will die first. Clear the paths beyond for the heroes."
Thud!
As soon as the young man finished speaking, the entire palace shook violently.
The mage called Ferseine bowed to the young man.
"The Knights of Asynis have been annihilated, Your Highness."
"Now it's our turn. Get ready."
The meeting was over.
The silent palace was filled with various noises.
Soldiers and monsters checked weapons and armor, knights petted their horses and formed assault formations. Magicians polished their spells, and priests blessed the warriors.
'Is this how it ends?'
They seemed not as insignificant as False Priacis had called them.
There was no fear in anyone. All their eyes sparkled with the light of courage.
"My beloved sister, Priacis."
Among the battle preparations, the young man approached Priacis, who was crouched in a corner.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't ease your frustration."
"... No, Your Highness."
"We've both come this far. Your Highness? Relax. Call me big brother."
"That's..."
"After coming this far, will you still call me Your Highness until the end?"
"Then, big brother..."
"Much better."
The young man smiled mischievously.
After checking Priacis's face, which still had traces of tears, he hugged her.
"If I weren't in this position, I would have felt the same as you. Indeed, dignity doesn't seem to matter much. If I can survive, if I can have the chance, I would even sell my soul to the devil. But I can't do it. I can't. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
The young man whispered to Priacis with a mischievous expression after confirming that no one was nearby.
"If you don't feel relieved until the end... you can accept the offer."
"What are you saying...?"
"Your Highness, there's something to report."
"You'll find out soon." The puzzled young man smiled and left with the officer.
Priacis, who was left alone, looked astonished at the young man's back.
'There's not much time left.'
The vibration of the palace was becoming more intense.
The door leading outside shook violently.
After the last resistance, a grand finale. It was a dramatic episode that was often seen in movies.
I sat in my chair waiting for the end of the banquet.
'He would be more suitable as the protagonist.'
If that young man were the main NPC of Taonier, things would have progressed much more easily.
I complained, not just for the sake of complaining, as I watched Priacis. She still had tears in her golden eyes, sobbing.
'Demon. Witch. Traitor.'
I recalled several accusations and curses that had been thrown at Priacis.
Looking at the current situation, it didn't seem like she had handed them over. Priacis's initial confident attitude had disappeared. Now, only the image of a weak girl remained. It seemed like she had already given up.
'If she's really a hero...'
I looked at the young man.
I had heard some things while completing the mission. He claimed to be second in line to the throne, and that there was a legitimate heir different from him. It seemed that successor was him.
"Your Highness, the Princess."
"It's fine. I won't mention the goddess's prophecy anymore."
Some people approached Priacis to greet her, but she only gave brief responses and remained silent.
Priacis also seemed to be contemplating following the young man.
And then the moment arrived.
The young man, in armor, stood in the center of the red carpet.
Around him, forces of various races and genders were intricately mixed, their eyes shining brightly.
The young man drew his sword with a cold look.
"This is our last battle. Let's show an honorable end."
No one spoke.
They only raised their weapons.
Priacis was among them too.
"Thank you for enduring."
The young man whispered to Priacis.
Priacis closed her eyes without saying a word.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The silver doors of the palace began to shake.
Fragments of stone and wood flew, and the door was dented in several places.
The young man raised his sword.
"This is our last battle!"
"Uwaah!"
"Forces of Taonier! Adva..."
Before the young man could finish, bang!
The goddess statue behind the throne suddenly broke.
In the thick dust, a figure appeared.
Sigh.
I sighed.
Of course.
If this was the end.
If it ended here, the game hadn't even started.
I wouldn't have suffered hardships in this world.
「Attack.」
A grim voice echoed throughout the palace.
A disturbing and chilling tone that scratched the chest from within.
I had heard this voice before.
It was still deeply ingrained in my memory.
「Who dares to do so without permission?」
He laughed.
