Chapter 527

527.

Whoosh! Crack! Crack! Boom!

The mansion was ablaze.

The surrounding area was literally a sea of fire.

“Aaaaaah!”

Within this inferno, Berkiya wept bitterly, holding in her arms the person she loved most and the child they had together.

Leo approached Berkiya and knelt on one knee.

He reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

But Leo’s hand passed right through her, helplessly.

As merely an observer in this world, Leo could do nothing to help.

“I’m sorry.”

Shaking with sorrow, Leo offered an apology that would never reach her.

It wasn’t Berkiya’s fault for striving to create a brighter world.

It wasn’t Leo’s fault either.

But…

If only they had been warned that the saved world wasn’t truly as bright.

That the world without darkness wasn’t entirely beautiful.

Could this tragedy have been prevented?

If only they hadn’t held the complacent belief that “The Bright Child need not understand the world’s filth.”

Could this kind of tragedy have been avoided?

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

With his head bowed, Leo wept silently.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah, it has.”

Ten years had passed since the terrible incident.

Bihar finally visited her friend’s house after a long time.

In one of the mansion’s rooms, Berkiya gently poked her second child’s cheek who was sound asleep in the small bed.

The sleeping daughter stirred.

Berkiya looked down at her lovingly with a soft smile.

“This child has grown so much.”

“Yeah. She summoned a Spirit not long ago? I’m no good at summoning magic, so I’m at a loss on how to teach her.”

Berkiya smiled cheerfully.

As she watched this, Bihar finally spoke.

“Shall we talk a bit?”

At this, Berkiya sat up and nodded.

The two moved to the mansion’s study.

The moonlight illuminated the study.

Looking at this, Berkiya spoke.

“Things have changed a lot.”

“Hmm?”

“Your eyes used to be dark, Bihar. But now, they shine brightly.”

“Ah…”

“Good to see it.”

Berkiya praised sincerely.

“It seems like you’ve found something meaningful in this world.”

At this, Bihar hesitated before speaking.

“You… Are you alright?”

Berkiya averted her gaze.

“For the past ten years, there hasn’t been a break in the wars since you retired. Conflicts over interests have erupted everywhere in the world.”

People turned weapons on each other and fought.

“But recently, the frequency of wars has noticeably decreased.”

The main instigators of these wars have all been assassinated by someone.

It seems like someone was passing judgment.

“Berkiya, after that incident ten years ago, you told me not to look for the culprit, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Ten years ago.

The Demon Queen Silatuna’s attack.

Back then, Berkiya lost her beloved partner and child.

They were killed by the Demon Queen.

Even so, under normal circumstances, the Demon Queen would never have dared to trespass into Berkiya’s domain.

Berkiya’s power already surpassed that of a Legion Commander.

Even the terrifying Demon Queen who had been wreaking havoc since the Era of Catastrophe was nothing more than prey before Berkiya’s sword.

Not only the Demon Queen, no existence from Tartarus would have dared to invade Berkiya’s domain.

Even if they did, they couldn’t escape Berkiya’s perception.

“It would have been impossible without a traitor inside.”

Bihar spoke with a heavy tone.

Seeing Bihar’s serious expression, Berkiya said,

“I had to wait until Beni grew up.”

Berkiya closed her eyes, recalling the daughter she had carried at that time.

“If I crossed the line, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to come back.”

“You didn’t need to cross that line. It was something I should have…!”

“No, Bihar.”

Berkiya opened her eyes and looked at Bihar.

“It was my job.”

“Hmm…”

“They didn’t betray the world. They just wanted to lead the world the way they desired, so they wanted me out of the way.”

Berkiya smiled faintly.

“That’s why it’s my job.”

“Yeah, I get it. But… I know your anger hasn’t subsided yet… But haven’t all those who committed sins already been punished?”

Bihar’s voice trembled.

“Then why did you punish unrelated people too?”

The wars that had continued for ten years without end.

Those wars suddenly stopped overnight.

Many who had suffered through the wars finally caught their breath.

But at the same time, there were places where screams of terror were heard.

The power holders who led the wars.

The ones who thought nothing of others’ lives for their own greed.

At first, justly deserved executions were carried out on those who clearly deserved d*ath.

But gradually, the blade lost its mercy.

Someone passed judgment on those who committed sins.

And Bihar knew all too well that the one dispensing that judgment was his friend before him.

It’s true that sinners need to be judged.

‘But this method is wrong.’

In response to Bihar’s words, Berkiya turned her body and said,

“I’ve thought about it for ten years. What went wrong? I did my utmost, didn’t I? We tried our hardest to cultivate the world handed down by the teachers… the Great Heroes, correctly.”

Berkiya’s gaze darkened.

“I kept thinking why it had turned out this way.”

Berkiya’s voice turned sinister.

“And then I realized. It’s not just those who betray the world from within the darkness that are eating away at this world. It’s not just the traitors who deserve to d*e.”

Berkiya’s eyes shone eerily.

“There are those who shouldn’t be allowed to live… even in the light.”

At the killing intent in her voice, Bihar drew in a breath.

“Countless people have sacrificed themselves for the current era.”

“Ber… kiya.”

“Therefore, in this era, only the righteous should survive. Those who are worthless… all of them…”

“Berkiya!”

Bihar grabbed Berkiya by the shoulders and shouted.

“I understand how you feel! There are definitely those who are eating away at this world! But… But…”

Berkiya’s current thoughts were extreme.

They were unlike her and would eventually spiral out of control.

“This too should be accepted. The teachers… the Great Heroes must have taken all these factors into account while saving the world. So… let it end. You shouldn’t do this. Especially you…”

As Bihar spoke through his tears, Berkiya bowed her head deeply.

Her slender shoulders shook as she began to sob.

“Why…? Why?! Why!!! Why isn’t it allowed?! Lord Lissinas, Lord Dwenno, Teacher Aron, Teacher Luna, Teacher Kyle… The ones who deserved this peace more than anyone else left this world without enjoying any of it! So why do those trash-like beings keep eroding the world they left behind? What gives them the right to enjoy everything? Why do we have to sit back and watch it?! Why?! Why!”

With hatred burning in her, Berkiya shook off Bihar’s hands.

It wasn’t mere anger.

Berkiya couldn’t tolerate it.

The way Kyle and Luna, who were like her parents, and the sacrifices of the Great Heroes who were like her family were trampled on while people behaved shamelessly.

The way absurdities occurred as people mocked and trampled on those who worked hard to live each day.

It was a desecration of the Great Heroes.

An act that trampled on the Great Heroes’ sacrifices.

‘Ahhh…’

Bihar’s face contorted as if in pain.

While he remained in the darkness even after the world was saved, he found light within the darkness.

On the contrary, Berkiya found darkness within the light.

And that darkness was too deep.

The hatred that arose in her heart due to the incident ten years ago kept growing, feeding off itself.

Bihar clenched his lips and fists.

‘I have to stop her.’

If left like this, Berkiya would go out of control.

There would be no return to the way she was before.

“I will… stop you.”

“You know best! About the ugliness of this world! You understand! So why are you trying to stop me!”

The hatred and anger that had been building up like a dam breaking surged toward Bihar.

As if not understanding why his friend was stopping him.

There was a confrontation between the two.

The fight ended with Berkiya’s victory.

And…

Bihar passed away as a result of the aftereffects of the fight.

*

“…”

The memory shown by the Akasha Record ended, and Leo opened his eyes.

Rian sat on the floor, silently polishing a gem.

“Looks like a disease.”

“So you’ve noticed.”

Clack-

Rian glanced at Leo as he placed Bihar’s statue on the ground.

“Bihar was already in bad shape because of the disease. Even if he hadn’t fought Berkiya, he wouldn’t have lived much longer.”

“Yeah.”

Leo’s expression turned complex.

Rian placed Berkiya’s statue beside Bihar’s.

“Berkiya didn’t live much longer either. Her life was also nearing its end.”

“…”

“Still, she made countless judgments. Ultimately, she was right. Her judgments led the world in the right direction.”

“But Berkiya herself died unhappily.”

“Yes, she died lost in darkness. Unfortunately.”

Rian flicked Berkiya’s statue with his finger so that it toppled over.

Clunk!

“She was a magnificent hero. But the world broke her.”

Rian looked up at Leo.

“Leo-sama, this isn’t a request just because you’re Berkiya’s teacher. As someone who has observed the life of a great hero who bore the world, I beg of you.”

Rising from his seat, Rian gave a deep bow.

“Grant her eternal rest.”

Since he manages the Hero Record, Rian was aware that Berkiya had become an undead creature and was causing chaos.

At Rian’s words, Leo approached him and knelt down.

He placed his hand on the fallen statue of Berkiya.

“What am I supposed to do? Grant that girl rest? I need to knock some sense into her, whether by hitting her on the head or kicking her in the b*tt.”

“Even your words won’t reach her.”

Rian’s voice showed confusion.

Berkiya knew her choices were wrong.

But she just couldn’t bear it.

The anger towards those who caused the deaths of her loved ones.

The hatred towards those who trampled on the sacrifices of the Great Heroes.

The guilt of having caused the d*ath of a close friend who trained under the same master.

All of these held onto Berkiya’s ankles, dragging her deeper and deeper into darkness, beyond any salvation.

“Even if my words don’t reach her, it’s fine. I’ve said it before, haven’t I?”

Leo firmly set the statue of Berkiya upright again.

“Correcting a disciple’s mistakes is a teacher’s responsibility.”

“…Are you not disappointed in her, Leo-sama?”

“I’ve already had enough disappointment while teaching her.”

Leo chuckled softly.

“And… even if I am disappointed…”

Standing up, Leo smiled gently.

“She’s my disciple, like a daughter to me. Isn’t it natural to help up a child who’s fallen?”

Seeing this, Rian was at a loss for words.

‘Ahh, as expected, this man is…’

“How could I not save an elf after saving the world?”

‘He’s definitely greater than even the Creator.’