Chapter 165

“Chosen Apostle. Have you found the answer?”

“Answer? To what? It hasn’t been that long since so much time passed. I couldn’t have forgotten.”

Even though many things have happened since then, I still remember the question that person posed to me.

“Why is hope not futile? Do you understand now?”

So, have I found the answer?

Looking back at my life, I haven’t accomplished anything. Not only have I failed to find the answer to the question given by the Lord, but I haven’t even found the answer to my own life.

“I have not found it.”

So, I shook my head. In truth, the more I ventured out, the more doubts I had instead of getting closer to the answer.

Originally, I left Pumpkin Vine Village because I wanted to save more people from trouble. Then, led by Yurinel, I joined the Hero Party, but now that I think about it, I wonder what connection that had with the Lord’s will.

I quit that and met Roka. I traveled again and experienced various things. But if someone were to ask what connection all these things I’ve done have with the person I serve, I wouldn’t know the answer. That person has never truly told me what they desire.

“Do you have any regrets?”

But even so, I have no regrets. Even if I could go back to the past and live my life again, I don’t know if much would change.

“In truth, your thoughts are not different. Our God has simply watched over all the things you’ve done. Sometimes granting immense power, other times placing trials before you. In all these things, what they saw was one thing: whether you maintained your faith.”

“Faith… you say?”

A dazzling light. The only color overwhelming the world that has lost its color.

The Light Angel, who appeared in reality, approached me. It wasn’t blinding. A mass of color, a possibility that could become any color, was shimmering.

“After all you’ve been through, you still haven’t lost your initial resolve. That is why you were chosen. Apostle, some things may seem unbearable at times. I know you are lost and wandering now.”

“With my wisdom, I cannot even decide where I should go.”

Their words were all correct. The world has gone beyond chaos into complete disorder.

The resentment of a baby who cried for help but was left to die, the sound of its cries, became a curse named Death God that appeared in this world. Before it could be vanquished, the Demon King unleashed another Death God into the world.

Epirna of the Eastern Plains, Emperor Harmail of the Demon Race amassing power, threats are everywhere. To protect people by blocking all these, my strength is woefully insufficient.

I don’t even know what I should do, what the priorities are, I’ve reached a point where I can’t even grasp my own direction. The Princess will simply inherit the throne. Lady Kisea and Roka have their own goals of uniting the wolf tribe.

Then what about me? Should I just wait for the time of ascension?

During this time, with Yurinel, and once with the Princess, and recently with Roka, I’ve strived under the belief of protecting people. But the confusion only grows.

Whether what I’m doing is right, whether the direction is wrong,

I clearly needed to reconsider.

“When times change greatly, there is a period where things that must fall make a final desperate struggle. All the dangers you think of may seem to flourish, but in fact, they are just half a step away from catastrophe.”

The Light Angel spoke slowly.

“But Apostle, that catastrophe will sweep away both the glorious and the dark. No matter what effort anyone makes, it cannot be stopped.”

“Even if you don’t give up until the end, it’s just a comfort, you can never solve the problem. The Lord thinks the catastrophe destined for this place is unreasonable. That’s why they chose you, Apostle, to fight against that catastrophe.”

Catastrophe? Is it like a cycle?

Or…

“Is that catastrophe the cycle the Faceless Angel spoke of?”

“It’s different. If you reach the Arctic, you will naturally understand.”

The Angel’s words made my heart heavy.

“What you saw that day at the Observatory of Star’s Dream.”

“Even if I ask what the cycle is, you won’t tell me, will you?”

“You will know when you reach the Arctic. Apostle. No matter where you go or what you do, the Lord will achieve their purpose. But your own purpose, you must achieve it yourself.”

“If catastrophe and cycle are different, then that catastrophe is…”

“Shh.”

They smiled. Though just a mass of color, I could see it.

“Apostle. The Lord will stop that catastrophe. You need not worry about the destruction that no human effort can reverse. That, the Lord will prevent using the name of coincidence.”

“But for things that can be resolved with your own strength, they will only occasionally intervene, never stepping forward fully. Apostle, go to the Arctic. Kalkanmir will soon awaken. If you’re too late, it will be difficult to pass.”

Kalkanmir? Could it be the Kalkanmir Mountain Range, the highest mountain range on the continent…?

If Kalkanmir awakens, is it a metaphor I don’t understand? Moreover, if I go to the Arctic, does that mean the Death God in Elvenheim is not my concern?

“If so, does that mean I don’t have to worry about the Death God that appeared in Elvenheim? Is that the Lord’s will?”

“It’s my will. So the decision is yours. But in my view, what you lose by heading to the Arctic can be recovered. What you lose by heading to Elvenheim cannot.”

“What do you mean by recoverable…?”

“Those already corrupted cannot return to their original state, but with you, it’s different. Existing in a corrupted state for a while isn’t necessarily bad. If they can return, it becomes a survival strategy.”

They didn’t say more, but I understood what they meant. I nodded. They smiled contentedly.

The sphere of light began to shrink. The Angel ended the meeting and left.

“Our chat was long. I’ve been here too long. Apostle, I will watch over you from above again. When we meet again, it will be in a place that is neither dream nor reality.”

When I closed and opened my eyes in the dazzling light, the Angel was nowhere to be seen. Also, color returned to this world.

*****

“You really endured stubbornly.”

Harmail, with blood-stained teeth, stepped on the head of the fallen Hero. Yurinel’s eyes were now lifeless. She had lost too much blood and was in a daze.

“Chirp…”

A lark that hadn’t eaten for a long time crouched at the bottom of its cage. Parnell, holding the cage, had a similar expression. Still, among the three, she was the most intact. So she fought the hardest.

Well, in the end, they were captured. Chains made of Harmail’s magical power bound their entire bodies, and a gag prevented them from committing suicide.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier for everyone if you had surrendered sooner?”

Lucia was also lying down, vomiting blood. She had just been kicked by the Demon Emperor and rolled on the ground. The demon army had already surrounded this place, wearing them down.

Poison was poured into every well, and herbicide was sprayed to prevent even a single blade of grass from growing. They mobilized a scorched-earth strategy against just three people, wearing them down. Harmail gritted her teeth.

Even weakened and having lost the Sacred Sword, they were indeed the Hero and the Hero Party. It took ages to capture them as they resisted while hiding. Of course, Harmail herself bore some responsibility.

She used her troops conservatively, not wanting to risk heavy losses against defeated soldiers. It would be a disgrace.

It certainly worked. So far, there were injured troops but no casualties. But it took this much time. That’s also a disgrace.

So the Demon Emperor was in a bad mood.

“Bring a water bottle.”

Harmail grabbed Yurinel’s neck, who hadn’t had a drop of water in a long time, and ordered a water bottle to be brought. Then, she let just one drop fall on her nose.

Feeling the water trickle down her nose, the Hero’s eyes regained some life. She desperately tried to lick the water, but the droplet fell elsewhere.

“Ah…”

Just one drop of water, but for someone parched, it’s more precious than gold.

The Hero was disappointed. Disappointed. She, who once enjoyed status and fame, now coveted mere water. The Demon Emperor felt a bit better seeing Yurinel’s suffering expression.

“Now, what should I do with you? I really missed a big opportunity trying to capture you.”

She had only recently heard about the chaos in the Citadel Republic. Now, the opportunity was already lost. The Citadel had passed its weakest point and was just beginning to recover.

Moreover, trouble is brewing on the continent, not across the sea in the Citadel. The appearance of the Death God in Elvenheim complicated Harmail’s thoughts.

Now, she was troubled by it. She wondered if the hostages she had captured would even be useful. She was in such a favorable position that she might not even need hostages. Though her body was here, her sharp eyes continued to watch the Empire.

“Now that I’ve finally captured them, the situation is like this…”

Should she strike when the Temple and the Empire join hands to fight the Death God? Or intervene later when both sides clash and a victor emerges? Or perhaps help the Temple to eliminate the public Death God of the continent?

She had many choices. The only thing bothering her was that the one who created the Death God was none other than Grimudo. That was unsettling. The Demon Emperor knew the terror of the Demon King well. It was a fear etched into her bones.

“Uh…”

But suddenly, fear appeared in the once-majestic Demon Emperor’s eyes.

“What, what is this? Why is this happening?”

Suddenly, all color disappeared from her vision. Only shades of black, white, and gray remained.

No matter if she closed or rubbed her eyes, it didn’t change. The Demon Emperor growled, holding the captive.

“What did you do? I’ll forgive you if you undo it now.”

“……”

Yurinel, who had done nothing, naturally had nothing to say. She also couldn’t see color now. Harmail and the surroundings appeared as black and white.

I knew it. I knew it. The Demon Emperor must have used some trick on my eyes as soon as she captured me.

Did she poison my eyes? Or was it magical power? Either way, I just hope I don’t go blind.

Harmail stared at Yurinel and realized she knew nothing. She quickly checked her own condition but found nothing wrong. She had just become colorblind.

Could this be a side effect of Grimudo’s mental attack? Now the Demon Emperor had a trauma.

Lately, she had been losing a lot of hair, which seemed like a side effect of the mental attack, and whenever her head hurt, she immediately thought of the mental attack.

“Y-Your Majesty, did you do something? The soldiers are all terrified, saying they can’t see color.”

Even when she realized it wasn’t just her, her thoughts didn’t change. No, they got worse.

Now she suspected a large-scale mental attack. Seeing the Demon Emperor, frightened and muttering about Grimudo, the demons looked at each other. She seemed like a lunatic.

Their Emperor always turned to the Primal Demon King whenever something happened. She suspected him again. She seemed like a paranoid person. What could they do? They just clicked their tongues.

After a while, when color returned to the world, the Demon Emperor felt relieved. But she couldn’t shake off the Grimudo conspiracy theory.

“It’s certain. This is clearly his warning.”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

Sharon, the Succubus Queen and also Harmail’s aide, advised with a somewhat awkward expression.

“No matter how I think about it, that’s not it…”

“We’ll know with more time. For now, keep them locked up. No torture.”

Even Harmail herself thought the possibility of Grimudo using a mental attack from the shadows to protect the Hero Party was almost nonexistent. Maybe a one in a million chance.

But that one in a million is important. The Demon Emperor didn’t want to provoke the Demon King at all.

If that guy decided to attack her, she was done for. She had already experienced that truth firsthand.

Something incomprehensible happened and then disappeared. In the Demon Emperor’s mind, only one being in the world could control such a thing. The Primal Demon King. Only him.