C531
He landed on the ground and looked around.
He could see the partially collapsed shape of Mount Hua. The debris falling like a torrential rain had turned the once beautiful landscape into a wasteland. It was the scenery after a disaster had swept through the area, but considering who had caused the disaster, it could be considered mild damage.
The Ruler of Thunder and Lightning had relatively withdrawn docilely. However, just the 'Thunder' it initially unleashed was enough to cause a collapse in the surrounding space.
'It's not completely shattered, so it should be able to be restored somehow.'
The territory seemed to have some self-healing power, so it should be possible.
The real problem was the victims.
"We have evacuated everyone we could."
Yang In-hyun said in a hoarse voice.
...They had evacuated those they could. So, what happened to those who 'couldn't be evacuated'?
"I'm sorry."
Instead of responding to that, Lucas apologized briefly.
Yang In-hyun gave him a puzzled look.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I could have expelled the Lightning God more completely. The uproar it caused was my fault for not doing it earlier."
To be exact, it was the fault of the Lightning God inside Lucas's head, no, Residue's, but in this case, Residue's faults were Lucas's faults.
"You're saying strange things. I'm really grateful that the damage was minimal. Even though it's a puppet, the opponent was a Ruler. It's unrealistic to expect a better outcome."
"…"
No, that was wrong.
In his previous life, Lucas had contained the Lightning God in a much more complete way. Although he ended up harboring the vestige of the Lightning God within him, there was no harm to Mount Hua as a result.
[There's no need to talk about that.]
Residue said with a hoarse voice.
[Of course, if you consider yourself a saint, that's different.]
'No, I didn't intend to bring that up either.'
Lucas smiled bitterly and then nodded to Yang In-hyun. He then slowly sent the unconscious Lee Jong-hak towards him.
"He has no physical injuries, but the mental burden will be considerable. His outward appearance may be the only indication that he's okay."
It would probably take him quite some time to regain his sanity.
Yang In-hyun nodded as he accepted Lee Jong-hak.
"We'll take care of this man. There's no need to confine him anymore, so we'll treat him as a guest."
There's no need to confine him anymore.
It seems that Yang In-hyun had also realized the danger Lee Jong-hak represented at this point. Although he didn't seem to know that a Ruler was involved.
"If Lee Jong-hak wakes up…"
Lucas began to say but then stopped.
Yang In-hyun gave him a puzzled look, but he couldn't continue.
He couldn't ask Yang In-hyun to accept Lee Jong-hak as a disciple at this moment.
[Leave it be. Don't interfere.]
Residue spoke again.
[Fate has a strange way of working. If 'they are meant to be together,' no matter how much they deviate, they will eventually cross paths again.]
'...I agree with the notion of the attraction of relationships, but it's strange that you bring that up.'
[Hm. It's better if you get used to it. If you're surprised every time I advise you, it'll be exhausting for both of us.]
"…"
Residue had changed a bit. Originally, this guy only spoke up occasionally in situations that interested him.
Now it was different. His words took the form of advice and were much more straightforward. The fact that he began to give his opinion even on matters that didn't concern him much meant that Residue now fully understood his situation.
In other words, it meant that he had become a fated companion with Lucas, for better or for worse.
Lucas spent that day on Mount Hua, helping to restore the space that had been torn and damaged. Although it would have recovered to some extent on its own, using Lucas's Void could exponentially accelerate the process.
Meanwhile, he sorted out his thoughts and considered his next steps.
'And now what?'
He faced two major choices.
The first was to head directly to Magic Planet. His original goal was to uncover the identity of the Beginning Wizard, and this time he had to do it.
However...
The image of a black-haired girl flashed through Lucas's mind.
Sedi Traumen.
His adoptive daughter in Demonsio, the territory known as "The Pit."
"If she doesn't see me, Sedi won't lose control immediately."
He knew that, and that's why he hadn't thought of her in his previous life. In hindsight, it was a cruel choice. Although she wouldn't lose control, it didn't mean she wasn't suffering at this moment.
He was aware of Sedi's mental instability and the danger she was in right now. However, Lucas had ignored it. He used the excuse that there was no immediate solution and postponed it.
At this very moment, her consciousness would probably be wandering through an abyssal darkness.
'A true failure as a father.'
He smiled bitterly and thought of the Black Horned Demon God.
Probably the Ruler most hostile towards Lucas...
Lucas asked.
"I want to completely eliminate the Demon God possessing Sedi."
[Hm.]
"Is there no effective method?"
[It would be possible if you defeat her directly in the realm of consciousness, as you did with me... but...]
Residue shook his head.
[It would be difficult. Your mind is very strong, but willpower alone is not enough to beat a Ruler.]
"Then there's nothing to be done."
He clicked his tongue as he recalled the options left to him.
[Are you thinking of going to the 'Red Knight'?]
Residue quickly read Lucas's mind and asked.
"I definitely need to meet that being."
The fact that he had never met this particular Knight was reason enough to do so.
[Are you worried about what the White Knight said?]
Of course he was.
─I thought you might help the Red Knight.
The voice of the White Knight echoed in his ears.
The Red Knight now faced an unknown danger.
Somewhere in the snows, in the land where Magic Planet existed. He had refused to get involved because he didn't want to be connected. Even now, his reluctance was much stronger. However, if he ignored the existence of a small possibility, it would be like ignoring Sedi's situation.
[If you don't want anything to do with the Red Knight, can't you just not go?]
Residue suddenly let out those words.
"What do you mean?"
[Idiot. Don't you now have the strongest and most loyal servant in the universe?]
Lucas had an idea of who Residue was referring to.
"Pale isn't a servant."
[As you wish.]
"...Are you suggesting I ask her for help?"
Residue smiled ironically.
[The Blue Knight seems to have a good relationship with the Red Knight.]
"That's natural since they are fellow Knights. But, will it be that easy? The Red Knight might even be hostile towards Pale."
[You're looking at the 4 Knights from the perspective of the Rulers.]
That guy was really insightful.
He knew what Lucas was thinking without him saying it.
[Their relationship is different from ours.
The way the Blue Knight mentioned the Red Knight, a Ruler wouldn't have spoken like that.]
He had a point.
The relationship between the Rulers was somewhat complex.
They weren't enemies, but they weren't allies either.
Lucas had sometimes wondered why they didn't clash with each other, as they often seemed to wander seeking challenges. However, he suspected that there were reasons more complex than he imagined.
In short, this wasn't the right time to ask.
It wasn't the time to press.
'So, will I ask Pale to free Sedi and meanwhile go alone to Magic Planet?'
[Why? Are you afraid?]
'A bit. The Beginning Wizard is still a mystery.'
Lucas fell silent for a moment and then asked.
'Speaking of which, do you have any idea who he is?'
[He's probably an 'abandoned possibility.' Not someone who was banished from the Three Thousand Worlds, but a being born in this world.]
'…'
[And... I felt a presence somewhat similar to yours.]
At those words, Lucas replied.
'Similar to mine?'
[Yes.]
'Do you mean he could be [another Lucas Traumen]?'
[I think the probability is quite high.]
He didn't confirm it with certainty, but Residue seemed somewhat sure. Was that the instinct of a former Ruler? If so, it was a hard assumption to dismiss...
"...Do you really believe that?"
He was puzzled. His indirect encounter with the Beginning Wizard occurred when he was captive by Sedi. At that time, the guy pretended to be killed by Sedi and then appeared before Lucas in the form of a frog.
And he gave advice to advance to the 'next stage'.
"He was much stronger than Sedi or me at that time."
─Beginning Wizard.
He had to see the face hidden behind the mask. That was why Lucas was saving 'Thunder' to the maximum. If he used the power of Omniscience in front of him, he might find clues about his true identity.
"Fine."
Lucas rose from his seat and spoke.
[Have you made a decision?]
"I'll have to ask Pale. I think it's the best option for now."
A way to save Sedi without having to directly confront the Red Knight.
Of course, that meant he would have to act separately from Pale for a while, but there was no other choice.
[Hm. In that case, you'll have to explain things to her properly.]
"Yes. Even if Pale follows my instructions, she won't want to directly save a being controlled by a Ruler."
[Idiot. That's not a problem.]
He winced at the contemptuous tone. It seemed he had experienced that treatment before.
[Explain well what kind of relationship you have with Sedi Traumen.]
"It's hard for me to say it myself, but I'm pretty good at it. Don't worry about it."
[...Do you really believe that. Hmm.]
Residue snorted as if he were disgusted.
Pale wasn't staying at the accommodation provided by Yang In-hyun.
As expected, not even Yang In-hyun and the other residents of Mount Hua seemed to know her whereabouts, so Lucas had to do a brief search.
Fortunately, he didn't take long to find the woman with blue hair sitting on a rock at the foot of the mountain.
"Pale."
Calling her name softly, Pale turned towards Lucas with a fresh smile.
"Hi, Lucas! Good morning!"
There wouldn't be time for lengthy explanations.
Lucas first laid out his purpose.
"I need your help."
"I understand."
It was reassuring that she responded immediately.
Lucas climbed up the rock where Pale was sitting and sat beside her. He noticed she was holding a fishing rod.
Would there be fish here after the Lightning God destroyed the mountain just a day ago? Would there really be fish in this shallow stream from the beginning?
As soon as he thought about the futility of that idea, Pale's lips parted again.
"But, how can I help you?"
"...Demoncio."
Lucas cleared his useless thoughts and spoke.
"I have an acquaintance in that area called 'The Pit'. She's currently under the dominion of the Black Horned Demon God, and I really want to rescue her."
"The Demon God?"
"The Black Horned Demon God."
"Oh."
Pale nodded as she moved the fishing rod.
"I hope you'll help me rescue her."
"Hmm?"
For a moment, Pale tilted her head in curiosity.
Lucas: "What's wrong?"
Pale: "...No, it's nothing. Please continue."
Lucas: " ...?"
Though Lucas briefly felt confusion, he continued speaking.
"At the moment, she is..."
"Hmm."
"...She's probably become the '0th Demon', serving Demoncio. With the addition of the Demon God's power, she won't be an easy opponent."
"......"
"Although she shouldn't directly threaten you. In fact, we fought in past lives, and I won without much difficulty."
Then Pale smiled again.
"Aha! So in that life, Lucas was killed by the Demon God's puppet!"
"No, it was you who killed me."
"Oh!"
Pale seemed momentarily confused, scratching her head and changing the subject.
"...What were we talking about?"
"...What I want to ask is this. Can you call the Red Knight and extract the Ruler's residue from her body?"
"Hmm."
After thinking for a moment, Pale nodded slowly.
"It's possible. I guess it won't be too difficult to suppress the puppet."
"Then..."
"But before that."
Blocking Lucas's thoughtful expression with a hand, Pale smiled calmly.
"There must be something we address first."
The smile she wore now was completely different from the one she had a moment ago when she wished him good morning. Though only her eyes narrowed slightly, the change in her expression was noticeable. Lucas was sure only Pale could cause such a dramatic change in atmosphere.
"Lucas, who is the woman you desperately want to save?"
[From now on, choose your words carefully.]
Pale's soft voice,
Residue's stern voice overlapped in his head.
Lucas nodded inwardly.
Of course, he knew.
The turning point would begin from here.
"Her name is Sedi Traumen and..."
"Sedi Traumen?"
He was interrupted before he could speak properly.
"Traumen..."
Pale rolled that word slowly on her tongue and then spoke again.
"Oh, sorry, Lucas. Please continue. It's amusing."
Though her expression was anything but amused as she spoke, Lucas momentarily closed his mouth.
He wasn't sure of the reason, but he felt the atmosphere had become tense.
[Hey, idiot.]
'What's up?'
[It seems like the situation is pretty bad already, do you want advice?]
'...I'll listen.'
[It would be better to keep your relationship with Sedi Traumen as secret as possible.]
Relationship? -Ah.
The moment he heard that advice, something became clear to him.
Yes. Sedi is Lucas's daughter. And Pale had a love-hate relationship with her parents.
If Lucas tried to save her just because she's his daughter, it might come off as hypocrisy and disgust. The term "filial" wouldn't be an excuse.
'But I don't want to lie to Pale.'
...There's no other choice.
He wanted to avoid this method as much as possible, but he had to resort to the "hypocritical language of the Rulers."
"Sedi Traumen is..."
The hypocritical language of the Rulers is to speak a truth disguised.
"A unique and precious presence to me."
He didn't tell any lies, but he distorted the truth.
Lucas thought he had made the right decision. There was even a slight smile on his lips.
[...Congratulations, fool. You managed to navigate through a slim possibility and turn the situation into the worst possible scenario.]
And then, like cold water, Residue's voice, mixed with reprimands, crashed into his head.
[Considering the vast amount of options available, the stupidity you've displayed is almost a miracle. Seriously, I tip my hat to you. Underestimating you was a mistake on my part. "Fool" falls short in describing you.]
Residue sighed as he spoke.
[From today, you're a super fool.]
With a plop,
Pale's face, with a cracked smile, became visible.
Tags:
TGMRA (Novel)