C522
Someone showed interest in the voice of the Exiled.
[Ask him in detail what that means.]
The Lightning God spoke once again.
Of course, Lucas intended to do so even if the guy didn't say anything.
"Do you say there are five forms of destruction?"
[That's right...]
"...Clarify it. Do you mean that destruction in different forms is happening simultaneously in different places? Or does it mean that universal-scale destruction will occur five times?"
Lucas couldn't accept either of the two options.
Of course, on a planetary scale, destruction could take many forms.
Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, snowstorms, lightning... or wars.
Humans, when facing natural disasters for which they cannot find countermeasures, might consider them a landscape of destruction.
Strictly speaking, that's an incorrect interpretation.
Because those are not destruction, but disasters. They are just phenomena that precede or accelerate destruction.
The destruction that the world will soon face is not so superficial.
Everything that exists has a lifespan, and now the lifespan of all universes has come to an end...
However, at the moment he thought that, Lucas suddenly stopped his thoughts.
'Exactly how does a world whose lifespan has ended disappear?'
Living beings that have reached the end of their lifespan,
Stars that have reached the end of their lifespan,
A universe that has reached the end of its lifespan.
He knew about their death. He had even seen some of them die. And he realized that the way of death was different for each.
So... the death, or annihilation of the Three Thousand Worlds could be completely different from the death of other things.
Lucas remembered Diablo.
"Someone I know said that everything we know could disappear in an instant. We wouldn't even realize we've been annihilated."
Not death, but annihilation. If Diablo's interpretation was correct, it was inevitable to feel chills. And the smarter a being was, the more they would feel it.
[Simultaneous annihilation... that even an existence like me cannot perceive... That is truly destruction... worthy to be compared to existence in a well... Hehehe.]
The Exiled laughed, but soon it turned into a sob. However, his faceless skin didn't move an inch.
[You won't know... you can't even imagine it... because you don't know how powerless and small you are...]
"Powerless?"
[Do you want to deny it...?]
"..."
Lucas's current level was, at the very least, that of a Twelve Void Lords. It meant he had the power to rule in this infinitely vast world.
However... the being who uttered those words was also a Twelve Void Lords.
'The Exiled said he once confronted Yang In-hyun.'
The uncomfortable expression Yang In-hyun showed when facing the Exiled.
If this person's abilities are better than Yang In-hyun's, but still considers himself an inferior existence... What did the Exiled "see" there?
"What did you see?"
[I cannot... answer...]
"Why? Because I'm not qualified?"
Lucas spat out the words sarcastically.
"Qualification" had always been the word that blocked him when facing hidden truths.
But this time it was different.
[That's not the reason... It's because even I myself... am unsure of what I saw... Moreover... there's a communication issue....]
Communication issue?
Is this guy mocking me now?
"Didn't you just say there are five forms of destruction?"
[That's the only... fact I could... discover....]
Lucas restrained himself before asking further.
"...Communication?"
[I am now... talking to you... through a language translation program....]
The Exiled said this while waving the mechanical device he had in his hand.
...Was that why he had such an exaggerated tone of voice and such indistinct pronunciation? It seemed it wasn't just because of the structure of his mouth that his voice was so rough.
[To explain... even a fraction of what I witnessed... would need to be explained in the language of my race....]
"The language of your race?"
[The race that had... the largest linguistic system....]
"Then, at least teach me that language. 10 minutes will be enough."
Even that was modesty. Depending on how effectively the guy explained, even a few minutes could be enough.
However, the Exiled shook his head.
[Lucas Traumen... you have a brighter mind than any other existence, but regardless of that, it's impossible....]
"Why?"
[Because the language of our race... has a system different from any other race in the universe... It's not a brain problem... No other race... can understand it... That's how it's designed...]
“...”
Lucas turned to his mind.
'Do you know what race the Exiled is?'
[…'Intel'.]
Intel?
Ah, is that the name of the race?
The Lightning God continued.
[What he says is not a lie. To learn his language, you need to be able to handle the energy that only his race can emit]
'Do other races cannot handle it no matter what they do?'
[In their natural form, yes. If they could use the power of their science, maybe it would be different... but Intel has already been extinguished, and their entire scientific civilization has disappeared.]
Lucas's gaze turned back to the Exiled.
'...Did he wipe them out himself?'
[From what I understand, yes. It was one of the 17 Great Universes he himself destroyed. I couldn't fully understand the truth of universe destruction, but if that guy really witnessed the "destruction"... maybe it's very related.]
Did he witness the destruction and go insane? But no madness was felt in the Exiled.
...His head was starting to hurt. Lucas was beginning to regret a little coming here.
The White Knight and the Exiled were throwing at Lucas, in this life, a bag full of questions incomparable to the previous ones.
"Do you want me to stop the destruction?"
[No...]
"Then why are you telling me this?"
[If you go to the Demon Castle... it's better that... you know this....]
"... You said I would die if I went to the Demon Castle."
[That's correct....]
"Is it a truth I must know right before dying?"
The corners of Lucas's mouth curled upward. It felt too ridiculous.
The Exiled spoke again.
[You shouldn't go alone to the Demon Castle... You should have a companion....]
At this moment, there is only one person who can be called a companion to Lucas.
[Move with the Blue Knight... It would be best... for you and for her....]
"Do you want us to work together?"
Lucas's laughter intensified.
"What do you know? Do you know what kind of existence Pale is? Do you think the simple nickname of 'Blue Knight' can encapsulate her true being?"
Lucas knew it wasn't like that. After all, "Blue Knight" was just one of the many facets of Pale.
The Exiled's gaze turned to him. His face and eyes still showed no emotions, but his head was tilted to one side.
[That's strange....]
His voice, when he spoke, was tinged with perplexity.
[Shouldn't you be the one who knows her best...?]
"What?"
[Shouldn't you be the one who knows the Blue Knight best...?]
"Why me? I haven't had any connection with her until I came here."
[All connections... begin like this... Even if they are blood relatives... until they confront each other fully... they are just strangers...]
"..."
[You asked me if the nickname 'Blue Knight'... can express her true essence... My answer is no... That's why I... only call her 'Blue Knight'... That's the only way of existence that I know... But you, isn't it so...?]
"..."
At the moment he heard those words, Lucas suddenly felt like he was losing something big.
No, it wasn't sudden.
From the beginning, since he returned to this life, he had been feeling that sensation. But he had been ignoring it all the time.
[Pale... You've always called her by her name... You haven't seen her just as... the Blue Knight, like me... There has never been anyone like that until now....]
"......"
[It's a process... You're... in a process right now... I have to ask you....]
The following words violently shook Lucas's mind.
[Do you still feel... fear when you remember her...?]
Lucas left the Exile's abode and returned to the chapel of the Underground City. He didn't seem to have anything else to say, and he didn't seem willing to send him to the Demon Castle if he didn't travel with Pale.
Michael's figure is nowhere to be seen in the chapel.
... How much time has passed? I don't know.
"Huu."
He couldn't divert his consciousness. The Exile's last words echoed in his head.
Lucas slumped into a chair.
'...Fear.'
Undoubtedly, Pale was an existence that had led Lucas to death several times.
That's why, when he first knew her true identity, he felt fear. It was inevitable. She was a being with power comparable to that of the Rulers. He didn't want to provoke her, nor did he want to have anything to do with her.
But because of her strength, because she was real, he thought of her value in use. Lucas thought that if he could use the power of the Blue Knight, he could change his unjust fate.
And in the last life, he came to know Pale.
"Lightning God."
[What?]
"Do I still... fear Pale?"
[Those are your emotions. Why are you asking me?]
"I don't even understand myself."
[You're talking nonsense.]
The Lightning God spat out harshly along with an insult.
[I don't care about your sentimentality. I'm only interested in one thing. What are you doing? No, what do you want to do?]
"What?"
[You have great influence now. You have enough power to change things. But your actions since you returned have been disgustingly passive.]
'...Passive? Me?'
[So am I wrong? You couldn't even properly confront the White Knight, and you didn't even go to look for the puppets with the remnants of the Rulers. Even aside from that, you had countless options. But what did you do?]
Lucas's body froze as if petrified, unable to move.
[Did you really have to confront the White Knight? Was hearing those things from the Exile really what you wanted? It's not particularly about the Blue Knight. What is it that really scares you?]
'……!'
─What he really fears.
The roar of the Lightning God illuminated his mind like lightning. An intense flash, like thunder, ran through his brain and spread throughout his body. His frozen flesh awakened.
And he realized. What he was really thinking.
I,
'...have repeated several lives.'
[It seems so.]
'Reincarnation, it truly is a ridiculous experience.'
[Of course. Even I, the me from the past, couldn't do it.]
'Having multiple lives given to me is unfair. It's terrifying, and... more than that, it's a miracle. That's why I tried not to let myself be swayed by it. Every time I started a reincarnation, I decided to live this life as if it were the last.'
However, at some point that determination faded away.
Although he didn't believe it, he was. At the crossroads of life and death, Lucas gave up his life with surprising ease. Even if it wasn't like that, he didn't fiercely fight against the impending death.
Because somewhere in his heart, he vaguely knew there was a "next."
However, this time, God spoke:
That it was the last.
"God's words simply scared the crap out of me. Haha."
He laughed at how pathetic he was.
It's natural for life not to have a second act, but he was afraid of that obviousness. If there were still other "selves" of Lucas, they would all have laughed heartily.
"You're absolutely right. I've been acting disgustingly passive."
[Heh…]
This wasn't the time for this. To be judged by the White Knight, To hear stories about the Exile's destruction, To go to the Demon Castle, To save the puppets controlled by the Rulers...!
And much less to save the precious people outside, that wasn't something he had to do now either!
Even if it was something he had to do someday, at least "now" wasn't the time!
─I hate liars.
He remembered the rough voice.
─I hate those who deceive and manipulate others─ regardless of their intentions.
That was someone's heart.
A whisper that dared to listen, from someone.
'I was wrong about something important.'
Pale's hatred for the Rulers is real. However, even taking that into account, the anger Pale unleashed in the end was unlike anything before. He didn't even lose his reason so much when he saw Sedi or Lee Jong-hak, who had also borrowed the power of the Rulers.
─And you deceived me in the end too.
So that's it.
─Our relationship has been plagued with deceit from the beginning.
The reason Pale got angry was because I, "Lucas Traumen," deceived her.
She felt betrayed by an existence she believed she could trust.
...Then.
With difficulty, Lucas stepped out of the chapel. Opening the door and walking a bit, he saw a woman with blue hair standing in an open space.
The woman was sitting on the stone steps, humming a tune.
"Pale."
Lucas called out her name. Her head turned slowly towards him. She smiled and waved cheerfully.
"Uncle, you're late! I thought you had escaped again!"
“…”
Pale is a contradictory existence. That's what he thought.
But if it's not,
If this innocent smile is really real, if it's one of the aspects she has,
"I have something to tell you."
"Eh?"
Pale looked at Lucas with confused eyes. Several reincarnations, several times he found himself in the same starting line. When he opened his eyes in the desert of ashes and first met Pale, when he first met her blue eyes...
What he should have done.
─I hate liars.
Not lie to her.
"Eh?"
"From my perspective, this isn't the first time we've met."
"W-what are you saying, Uncle?"
"I have experienced and felt your existence several times. I know your past. I'm sorry. I didn't listen to you, I saw it for myself."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
And.
"Right now, a Ruler's remnant, the Lightning God, resides in my body."
[What……!]
No more deceiving her.
“…….”
The smile vanished from Pale's face.
Tags:
TGMRA (Novel)