Chapter 237
Not only was Yu-hyun bewildered, but so were the Divine Spirits.
The message window was flooded with question marks in an instant.
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[Is this real?]
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[No, it wasn’t a delusion, it was a real demon?]
[The one who resembles the brilliant light says he already knew.]
[The one who laughs in the darkest place donates 1000TP!]
[Don’t pretend it’s not now.]
Ignoring the messages from the Divine Spirits that exploded in a flash, Yu-hyun pointed his finger at the demons in front of him.
“Uh, sir knight. The demons, um. They revealed their true colors?”
“Well done, Sancho! Those despicable creatures dared not to show me their true colors and only wore filthy masks. Unfortunately, I could not punish them as I pleased. No matter how great a knight I am, I have to care about my reputation in the realm.”
Don Quixote was overjoyed that the demons disguised as priests had revealed their true selves, and he was itching to fight them.
He raised his lance and entered a battle stance.
Yu-hyun had no time to stop him.
Kicking his saddle, Don Quixote became one with Rocinante and was like a rushing wind.
Even though he only saw him pass by at his side, Yu-hyun felt goosebumps on his skin.
‘He’s fast.’
And strong.
The two demons who revealed their identities inflated their huge muscles and tried to block Don Quixote’s attack, but Rocinante accelerated even more.
Now, the super-fast charge that was invisible even to the afterimage became a streak of light and pierced through the demon on the right.
Boom!
The air exploded and the demon’s upper body disappeared as if it was torn off.
The other demon who watched his comrade die in vain next to him felt a sense of crisis and spread his wings to escape.
“How dare you show your back to a knight and run away!”
With Don Quixote’s roar, Rocinante quickly turned and charged at the demon.
The demon had no time to cast a spell or use his sharp claws.
He was stabbed through his back and heart along with his wings, and he vanished into black mist with a scream of pain.
Having finished off both demons, Don Quixote returned to Yu-hyun with a relieved expression.
“Did you see that, Sancho? This is the enemy that a knight of chivalry must fight, and the evil horde that hinders our adventure. Someday you will also have to fight with your own weapon. So always be alert and prepared.”
“Yes, sir knight.”
“Good. Then shall we move on?”
As if there had been no fierce battle just before, the two resumed their journey.
However, unlike Don Quixote who hummed with joy for his brave exploration into the unknown, Yu-hyun’s mind was still complicated.
‘I did respond differently from the others, but did he really mean it?’
From the original novel, everything Don Quixote did was nothing but a delusion.
He mistook passing merchants for knights who opposed him, called ordinary women noble ladies, and shouted that priests were demons like he did just now.
The climax of that was his charge against the windmill.
Don Quixote.
He was a weirdo who dreamed while living in reality.
He dreamed and had ideals, but
In the end, he failed to overcome the wall of reality.
A comedy and tragedy of an outsider.
‘That was Don Quixote’s story, and everyone else knew that and tried to persuade him.’
And the clear condition of this realm of thought was to wake Don Quixote up from his dream.
The system also shouted reality.
‘What if we were wrong?’
What if everything Don Quixote said that people dismissed as delusions was true?
The evidence was the demons disguised as priests that happened just before.
Even though there were no corpses left to prove their existence, Yu-hyun did not dismiss it as an illusion.
He found a way.
He didn’t need to use Laplace’s power.
He found a new way that he had never shown before, and he felt confident about the future.
The answer derived from the clues.
And for that, he needed to sincerely join this knight’s adventure.
“Let’s go, sir knight. I also want to see Princess Dulcinea as soon as possible.”
“Oh, Sancho. You know too. How beautiful she is.”
“You said so yourself, sir knight. How can I not know?”
“That’s right. But the other rogues doubt her existence even. They are irreverent beyond measure.”
“They don’t know how great you are, sir knight. They are just jealous of your greatness.”
What if?
There was someone who sincerely believed in his dream and stayed by his side.
“Your words are true, Sancho. But I forgive them. Their jealousy is a natural emotion, and it proves how great I am. A true knight must know how to show mercy and fight for the weak.”
Maybe this story could go to a different end.
Yu-hyun thought so.
***
The adventure was smooth and uneventful.
After defeating the demons disguised as priests, they hardly met anyone on the road.
The two crossed a wide field and passed through a forest with a clear stream.
They stopped for a while to admire the scenery of a waterfall that sprinkled countless beads in the distance, and enjoyed the chirping of the birds that flew through the forest.
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[It suddenly feels like a healing broadcast]
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[But it’s kind of addictive. This kind of classic adventure is worth watching.]
In fact, Yu-hyun and Don Quixote’s adventure was really a classic in every sense.
They walked on rough mountain paths, crossed plains, and cut through forests.
And so, before they knew it, the sun in the sky set on the western horizon and soon the night came with brilliant stars.
“We’ll have to sleep on the road today, knight.”
“Hmm. Let’s do that. For a windmill knight like me, this nature is truly the real cradle.”
Yu-hyun quickly laid down a mat and lit a fire.
His movements were so natural that the Divine Spirits thought he was not really Sancho.
It was a habit he had cultivated for 10 years during the apocalypse.
The one who received the hospitality, Don Quixote, took it for granted and nodded with satisfaction.
Soon, the two wrapped themselves in blankets and sat in front of the bonfire.
“What a pity.”
Don Quixote suddenly muttered.
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t we only kill two of those special groups? The enemies that lie ahead of our path are literally mountains, and two are too few.”
“I thought it was enough.”
“Too few.”
“Are you worried?”
“Of course not!”
Don Quixote said indignantly.
“As a windmill knight, I have never felt worry or fear in my life. The only fear I have is that my noble lady Dulcinea del Toboso will escape from that wicked magician as soon as possible.”
“Don’t worry. If you are a knight, you can do it.”
“Of course I can. There is nothing impossible for me, Don Quixote!”
He was not just trying to motivate himself.
The old knight sincerely believed that and followed his heart’s desire.
Even though Dulcinea was not a real existence and was only created in Don Quixote’s imagination.
The Divine Spirits who watched this scene all shook their heads and clicked their tongues.
[Most of the Divine Spirits sigh at Don Quixote’s ideal.]
[Most of the Divine Spirits say that dreams cannot come true.]
From the perspective of the Divine Spirits, Don Quixote was ultimately a created being.
No matter what he said or what ideal he had, it was nothing but a story implemented within the realm of thought.
What need did he have for an ideal when he would disappear without a trace along with the end of the realm of thought?
They only found him ridiculous and amusing from their point of view.
“Aren’t you angry, knight?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you see how they ignore and mock you, sir knight? They say you are mad and laugh at you. They say that ideals are harmful to humans, don’t they?”
“Well, I think I’ve heard something like that.”
“What do you think, sir knight?”
“What a strange question. Sancho, what do you think?”
“Me?”
“Do you really think that ideals are harmful to humans?”
Don Quixote’s face was filled with a seriousness that Yu-hyun had never seen before.
It was a different kind of gravity than when he was in battle. Yu-hyun answered nervously.
“I don’t know, um… I’m not sure.”
“Hmm. It may be a difficult question for you, who are a commoner.”
“What about you, sir knight?”
“I have already given my answer. Not only me, but all the knights of the pen have given the same answer. The ideals we hold are the most noble and beautiful things in the realm.”
Don Quixote said that and added with a smirk.
“Of course, mine are the most splendid.”
“…Ah, yes.”
“And look, Sancho.”
Don Quixote said that and pointed to the sky.
The black night sky was filled with countless specks that could never be seen in the city.
A dazzling feast of starlight.
It was a new sensation for Yu-hyun to feel the warmth of the bonfire and look up at the night sky.
“See those brilliant stars. The eyes they send to us.”
Yu-hyun was startled by his words. Could it be that he felt the eyes of the Divine Spirits?
“They are jealous of my greatness and glare at me.”
Fortunately, that was not the case.
[The Divine Spirits are enraged by Don Quixote’s words.]
[Most of the Divine Spirits shout to kill that old fool of a knight.]
However, Don Quixote had unwittingly provoked the anger of the Divine Spirits. But he didn’t know that and kept on giving a long speech about how great he was.
The old knight who deluded himself that the stars praised him and the stars who were furious at his interpretation.
They didn’t communicate with each other, and for Yu-hyun who watched them both, there was no more hilarious comedy.
He found their ridiculous appearance amusing and burst into laughter without knowing it.
“Hahaha.”
“Why are you laughing? Sancho.”
“I just find this situation funny. I didn’t mean to mock you, sir knight.”
“Hmm. Laughing is good. Laughter is the medicine that drives our lives. Since it’s come to this, I’ll laugh too. Hahahahaha!!”
His sudden laughter was like a madman’s.
But Yu-hyun liked that look of Don Quixote.
The Divine Spirits were also annoyed, but that was also a wonder.
He always does whatever he wants and makes nonsense.
He causes trouble whenever he takes his eyes off him, inflates his imagination, and never stops talking.
Normally, he would have ignored or turned away from the Divine Spirits who were frustrated and annoyed by him.
But they were interested in Don Quixote while they were angry and mocking him.
The charm of Don Quixote had captivated even the stars in the sky.
How could I not laugh?
Those noble celestial spectators had lowered their eyes to the level of a mere knight.
“Suddenly laughing, the atmosphere is lively. Let me continue this excitement by reciting a romance.”
Don Quixote, who was laughing and talking as he pleased, cleared his throat and sang a song.
No, could that be called a song?
He couldn’t match the pitch or the rhythm properly, and it sounded like a horrible noise from a tone-deaf person.
“That is the true duty and obligation of a knight. No! Not an obligation, but a privilege!”
But why?
As I listened to his playful shout, I felt as if I was moved by his experience.
Dreaming an impossible dream.
Defeating an unbeatable foe.
Bearing an unbearable sorrow.
Dying for a noble ideal.
Before I knew it, even the Divine Spirits who had been mocking Don Quixote were listening attentively to his soulful romance.
Knowing how to correct mistakes.
Loving with purity and goodwill.
Falling in love in an impossible dream.
“Having faith, and reaching the stars in the sky.”
Don Quixote’s eyes were full of tears as he recited the last line.
I felt goosebumps all over my body when I heard those words.
His unwavering gaze, his firm will to move forward for his belief and goal.
That was the most magnificent sight I had ever seen in a human being, and the ideal image that I wanted to pursue.
“How was it, Sancho?”
Don Quixote asked me with hopeful eyes after finishing his romance.
“Uh, um.”
What should I say? I was a little hesitant. It was hard to express this feeling in words right now.
To be honest, he didn’t sing that well. If I had to be picky, it was ear-splitting, but the emotion behind it made my soul tremble.
“Let’s just go to sleep.”
In the end, postponing the answer was the best option.
Don Quixote, who had been looking forward to it, quickly became gloomy.
We lay down and covered ourselves with blankets. I wanted to fall asleep right away, but Don Quixote asked me a question before he fell asleep.
“Sancho. Are you asleep?”
“Why do you ask? My lord.”
“I just thought that when I sang my romance, the atmosphere was lively. Should I have raised my voice more at that time?”
“I think you have already shown your great knightly Divine Spirit, my lord. There is no need to do that.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
Just as I was about to fall asleep again, Don Quixote suddenly lifted his head as if he had remembered something.
“Still, maybe…”
I couldn’t stand it anymore and exploded.
“My lord. Please go to sleep. You may not need to sleep, my lord, but I am a humble servant who needs to rest.”
Don Quixote answered meekly.
“I’m sorry.”