[Side Story – Hatred [1]]
[17]
Struggle without purpose.
Massacre for survival.
The more he swung his sword, the further he drifted from the ideal he once dreamed of.
This grim reality always brought a deep sense of self-loathing to Delun.
As time went on, Delun often thought about putting down his sword and leaving far away, even if there was nowhere to go. He just wanted to keep walking.
Still, Delun couldn’t leave, and continued swinging his sword amidst this heavy self-reproach.
Delun couldn’t leave because of Johanna.
The back view of Johanna, who clung to a futile hope and continued her desolate struggle, seemed so precarious that he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to leave. That was the extent of it.
Even for Delun… clashes with demons were mentally easier than battles between humans.
However, engaging in bloody battles against demons wielding all kinds of bizarre powers was by no means an easy task.
Delun barely survived numerous life-threatening situations while moving between battlefields near the Demonic Realm, and both physically and mentally became quite exhausted.
To Delun, who was in such a state, Johanna asked if he would join her on a battlefield where humans might have to fight each other.
“Will you come with me?”
“…”
Delun looked at Johanna for a moment.
There was no trace of hesitation in Johanna’s eyes.
Johanna had also been pushing her body to its limits as she moved from one battlefield to another.
If anything, she pushed herself even harder than Delun.
Despite this, Johanna rejected rest and was trying to move mechanically toward the next battlefield.
Delun quietly observed Johanna, then finally sighed and spoke.
“I’ll go too.”
“If you’re just going to complain after following me, stay here.”
“…I won’t, don’t worry.”
Though Delun confirmed, Johanna still seemed unconvinced.
At that moment, Luna, who had been observing the conversation between Johanna and Delun, pushed the map on the table aside and spoke.
“We need to gather more information. I’ll call you when we’re ready. Rest for now.”
“Okay, got it.”
Johanna and Delun nodded and left the room.
After they left, Hayden came to see Luna who remained alone.
Hayden paid his respects, but Luna didn’t even look at him and only moved her lips.
“How’s the project I entrusted to you?”
“As previously reported, it’s progressing without major issues so far.”
Since the project was still in the preparation phase, there hadn’t been any significant setbacks.
Finding suitable talents to participate in the project and maintaining confidentiality were tricky, but things were running smoothly thus far.
However, separately from that, Hayden wondered whether the current project he was handling was truly practical.
‘The exclusion of divine power…’
Luna ordered Hayden to establish a new medical system excluding “divine power,” develop necessary technologies if needed, and verify them.
It was quite an interesting attempt, but Hayden didn’t think this project was particularly meaningful.
No matter how much data healers accumulated or how many new medical technologies and devices were developed, there was clearly a limit.
Divine power is a “miracle.” Even if revolutionary technological advancements were made, replicating the “miracles” bestowed by divine power would be impossible.
Throughout the long history of the continent, the center of medicine had always been divine power, and other elements were merely tools to assist these miracles.
Hayden knew that Luna wouldn’t be greatly displeased if he expressed doubts, so he asked comfortably.
“Even with a massive budget and a long time investment, replacing divine power seems difficult…”
“…”
“Are you considering a full-scale war with the Sacred Country? But even so…”
“…”
Indeed, the current relationship between the Empire and the Sacred Country was strained.
Luna, one of the central figures of the Empire, often compared the Holy Order serving El-Lam to pathogens.
However, the Holy Order was a religion spanning the entire continent beyond national borders, so persecuting them entirely would be insane.
Even if a full-scale war with the Sacred Country occurred someday, treating clerics properly would be essential to maintain the system.
In other words, the Empire should aim to absorb rather than annihilate the Sacred Country.
In Hayden’s opinion, focusing on recruiting high-ranking clerics to their side would be a much more efficient and realistic solution than developing technology to replace divine power.
Since the Empire already held the upper hand in power, they could slowly pressure and gradually infiltrate the Sacred Country over time.
However, Luna rejected Hayden’s opinion.
It wasn’t that Luna assigned this project to Hayden out of fear that they wouldn’t receive help from clerics in case of a full-scale war with the Sacred Country.
“All of you… someday…”
“…”
“Will have to stand alone without miracles that have become shackles. That’s the price of freedom you must bear.”
“…?”
Hayden couldn’t fully understand what Luna meant.
Luna, still not looking back at Hayden who showed signs of confusion, moved her lips again.
“What I’ve entrusted to you is… preparation for that day.”
*
Jusephin was sitting in a chair, enjoying some leisurely time.
Taking a proper rest after a long time felt sweeter than honey.
Jusephin repeatedly closed and opened her eyes as if she were about to fall into a deep sleep when she sensed someone nearby and turned her head.
“Oh… Count!”
Jusephin called out to Johanna like that.
Johanna currently held the title of Border Count.
A long time ago, she received the title along with the surname “Defensio.”
Of course, Johanna didn’t place much significance on the title, which felt superficial to her.
Anyway, Jusephin, who had been dozing off, quickly stood up and approached Johanna.
“Is everything finished?”
Jusephin had to wait in the Imperial Capital until Luna returned from Obelisk.
Now that Luna had returned from Obelisk, Jusephin thought she could finally enjoy her vacation and smiled brightly.
However, the news Johanna delivered was very shocking.
“We need to go to Maisen. It’s a border area adjacent to both the Sacred Country and the Demonic Realm. Be well-prepared. Finish checking your armaments.”
“…!!”
Jusephin couldn’t close her wide-open eyes in shock.
Still reeling from the shock, Jusephin wobbled slightly and hesitantly asked Johanna.
“B-but, my lord… We just got back… Can’t we delay the schedule a bit? If it’s an important operation, we should reserve our strength…”
“Jusephin.”
“Yes…!”
“Don’t argue.”
“…”
Jusephin’s exhaustion wasn’t mere exaggeration.
After fighting for a long time at the boundary between the Demonic Realm and the continent, returning unscathed would be strange.
But Jusephin, as the pillar and head of the household, was in a position to obey orders.
Eventually, despite groaning, Jusephin moved to check her armaments.
*
Before departing for Maisen,
Johanna briefly met with Bella.
Bella looked weak, like an old oak tree. There was little vitality in her dry eyelids.
Facing Bella whose voice was slightly hoarse as usual, Johanna spoke calmly.
“Take care of your health.”
“Yeah…”
“And eat properly. When Ray returns, he’ll worry a lot if he sees his mother so thin.”
“…Yeah, that’s right. Got it.”
Johanna firmly believed Ray would return, but Bella did not.
Actually, few people besides Luna and Johanna strongly believed Ray would return.
Nevertheless, Bella was making efforts to continue living for Lea’s sake and clinging to the impossible hope that Ray would return.
Through those efforts, Bella managed to smile, albeit forced, in front of Johanna.
Johanna ended the uncomfortable meeting promptly without dragging it out.
After parting with Bella, Johanna encountered Lea.
Looking at Lea who was waiting tensely, Johanna soon began walking briskly towards her.
“Your Majesty.”
“Sister Johanna…”
“Why do you look so upset?”
Walking briskly, Johanna, as she had done long ago, stretched out her hands and gently grabbed Lea’s cheeks.
Lea was surprised by Johanna’s sudden action.
However, Johanna didn’t care and, after shaking Lea’s still baby-faced cheeks lightly, smirked.
“Your Majesty, I envy you.”
“…”
“I envied you. While reflecting on Ray’s dedication to you, I wished I could have been someone so precious to Ray, and I envied you.”
“…”
“Hmm… But upon reconsidering, Ray was always like that. He was always dedicated. To everyone.”
He picked up a freezing or nearly paralyzed child and painstakingly raised them, fought fiercely to protect newly formed bonds, and sacrificed his remaining life to gift the ones he loved a blue sky.
From the first time Johanna met Ray,
Ray had always been a devoted person.
By now, Johanna had matured enough to realize that.
“So, Your Majesty, don’t be afraid. You don’t need to feel guilty. I simply… want to give back the devotion I received from Ray.”
“…”
Lea, who had been frozen in place, started sobbing soon after, and Johanna wiped her tears while smiling broadly.
Watching the two of them, Delun stiffened his expression.
Lea’s understanding from Johanna initially seemed warm.
But to Delun, Johanna’s displayed empathy felt precarious.
It was possible only because Johanna neglected her own emotions and pain, not caring for herself.
For five years, Johanna hadn’t been living her own life.
She blindly chased after an unattainable hope, walking along the edge of a precipice.
Looking at Johanna’s precarious back, Delun sighed and turned away.
*
Crunch!
Fingers encased in black iron armor dug into the face.
The fingers that penetrated the face roughly tore off the front of the helmet covering it.
The front of the helmet was torn away from the face and oozed stickily as it slid down.
“…”
Having torn off the front of the helmet, Anthonyus looked up at the sky.
The red-tinted sky reflected in Anthonyus’ two pupils.
It had been years since he last saw the sky with his own eyes, yet the front of the torn helmet was already climbing up his cheek, covering it through his clenched grip.
“…Has it begun to move?”
Anthonyus whispered lowly, detecting changes before his face was completely covered by the helmet.
“Ray…”
The Demon King, who had annihilated the South, rose from his physical form.
