"Kim Woojin."
Lia called his name. Then her gaze reached the blue forget-me-nots. She couldn't even look at his face, so instead, she kept her eyes locked there.
"…"
Deculein didn't say anything. In Lia's mind, expectations rose like tiny drops of water, and thoughts of what might happen bubbled in the prolonged silence. Suddenly she opened her eyes and looked up.
"…Ah."
"Kimurin? What's that, Lia?"
Leo asked. It was a name that people on this continent might not even know was a name. Leo's reaction was so natural, and that was the same with Deculein.
"…"
Now, he looked so dry. At least he didn't seem to be affiliated with it. Like Leo, he didn't even know if it was a name or an object. Nevertheless, Lia tried to read Deculein's reaction, from the wrinkles on the face to the beating of his heart, the expansion of the iris, the movement of the pupil, and even the subtle changes in the atmosphere. She grew up living on this continent as an adventurer, with the skills she learned…
"There is no time to be idle."
Deculein said. Lia finally realized reality. She knew it was a delusion.
[36:03:23]
The timetable of the quest was still reflected in her eyes. Lia clenched her fists. She looked again to Deculein and the sky beyond him. What originally seemed like a small dot was now as clear as the old moon.
"Yuli."
Deculein called to her. Lia answered blankly.
"…Yes?"
As if that was pathetic, he shook his head.
"I think you have something to do."
Lia came back to her senses a bit late. Time was ticking, so she shouldn't get confused by this personal matter.
"This lighthouse, that comet will destroy the continent."
Lia said. Leo and Carlos nodded behind her.
"…Yes."
Deculein agreed, smiled, and picked up some notebooks off his desk.
"I know. More than you."
"But why?"
Lia asked.
"I still don't understand. You can achieve what you want… without destroying everything."
She felt she vaguely knew Deculein's purpose. However, he didn't need to help complete the lighthouse.
"Do you think you know my goal?"
Deculein asked, and then he looked around. Lia followed his gaze. Although it was quite simple for Deculein's tastes, the bookshelves still felt old-fashioned and elegant. Bookshelf, bookshelf, bookshelf. It was like a library.
"I may be deceiving you. Making you misunderstand my purpose and buying time."
Lia continued to stare at him.
"…You don't lie."
"I do."
Deculein said.
"And, I already did."
He turned to Lia.
"Just like you did."
"?"
Lia's brow furrowed. Why was he talking about this all of a sudden? Deculein grinned and pointed to Carlos.
"You said that you can make that half-blood a human. But he's still the same."
“Ah."
Carlos was still half-human and half-demon. Despite countless efforts to purify the dark energy in his blood—
"It's not possible."
Deculein shook his head.
"You can't make someone already half-demon into a human. Even if you could, losing, oneself would be like death."
Carlos glared at Deculein. As if the instinctive fear couldn't be helped, as soon as Deculein glanced back, he immediately lowered his gaze.
"Yuli. The meteorite can no longer be stopped."
Deculein turned to observe it breaking through the atmosphere.
"Even if I die, even if this lighthouse is broken, its descent is unavoidable."
"…"
"Revolting and lowly people. Those who didn't know their places attacked nobles, insulted wizards, and demeaned knights."
He spoke slowly.
"Those insects that live on this continent."
Looking up at the sky, he sneered.
"They will eventually go extinct."
"…"
Lia fiddled with her necklace. The crystal ball inside caught all she witnessed.
"…And then it will start again."
Deculein met Lia’s gaze.
"A new world where all the lowly things will vanish."
If this was acting, it was great acting.
"But before that."
Bang-!
Deculein pounded his staff against the ground, and mana rose. Rising like mist, it wrapped around Lia, Leo, and Carlos.
"Uh, huh?!"
"Ugh!"
Leo and Carlos screamed and disappeared. The crystal ball also stopped working. Now, Lia was the only one left.
"Now it’s only us."
She glared at Deculein.
"Yuli."
He called her name, his voice suddenly warm.
"I have something to say."
"…Something to say?"
"Yes."
Deculein's face was so relaxed and soft that it surprised her when she began to tremble, but the next thing he said was...
"I loved you."
It was a shock, like sudden pain squeezing her heart. A pain that even she didn't know. But, whether he knew it or not-
"It's not a lie."
Deculein's sincere confession was simple as always. Lia didn't know what to say.
"I loved only you…."
A small smile spread across Deculein's lips. As if recalling the past, reminiscing amongst lovely memories.
"I was lucky to have you."
He wore a boy's smile. Lia felt dazed, but soon it collapsed. He wasn't Kim Woojin; he was Deculein.
"And I was able to survive because of you."
It wasn't Kim Woojin saying that to Yuli.
"I thought about it a lot, wishing I could see you again at least once."
It was Deculein saying it to Yuli.
"…"
Yuli bit her lip. Her heart was pounding, and her gaze was already hazy with tears. She couldn't control these emotions she didn't even know she had. Even though she knew he was Deculein, hearing it made her happy, sad, and jealous.
"…Yeah."
Lia answered like that. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't betray Deculein's feelings, so she acted like Yuli.
"But, do you do this knowing that?"
She asked, playfully rebuking him.
"Because I didn't know you were here."
Deculein's reply immediately left a bigger mark on Lia's heart. Her face contorted as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"If I had known you were here, I would have cherished this body more."
Saying so, Deculein handed the notebook on his desk over. Lia wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then took it.
"What is… this?"
"Read later."
Only the word diary was written on the cover.
"Diary…?"
The moment Lia muttered, Deculein's mana flickered blue and wrapped her up.
"…Huh?"
Lia had a blank look in her eyes as she stared at Deculein.
"This conversation is over."
His face was a little strange. No, it was too strange.
"Why…?"
Why was he smiling? With the happiest expression, she had ever seen him wear.
"I wish I had known sooner."
Why was he saying it like that...?
* * *
Emperor Sophien climbed the lighthouse. The sword hanging from her hand was already wet with blood, and her eyes were full of murderous intent. All the people from the Altar, beasts, and chimeras trying to block her advance were cut down as she climbed the steps one by one.
Kwaaaaaah-!
When a chimera from the Altar came running with a roar-
Swooosh-!
Sophien's sword poured down like rain that couldn't be avoided and contained. Every slash cut another down.
"…Wow."
The knights behind her were just admiring it. The Great Emperor demonstrated a level of swordsmanship that transcended all others, knights, without requiring their help.
"We have no time to admire! Hurry up!"
Maho exclaimed. Clutched in her hand was a map of the lighthouse. She was guiding the emperor with it, which she obtained from somewhere.
"Yes!"
Lawaine answered. Delric followed as they climbed the lighthouse stairs.
Boom-!
A huge vibration shook through the tower as a powerful wave of mana rocked the earth. Another unnatural disaster was caused by the descent of the comet. It wasn’t just a phenomenon but occurred inside the knights’ bodies. In other words, it stirred up the mana that circulated in their blood.
“Ugh—!”
“Kugh—!”
Several groaned as blood leaked from their mouths. The bodies of countless knights, wizards, and Demon Bloods tumbled down the stairs, leaving only Ganesha and Emperor Sophien intact. As a result, the army ground to a momentary halt.
"…You're weak."
Sophien said. She took a piece of cloth out of her pocket.
"There is little time left."
She said as she wiped away the blood from her sword.
"…"
However, her loyal subjects said nothing. Because of the pain the comet inflicted, their words died upon their lips.
"Hmph."
The emperor stared at them, standing still with eyes dyed red.
"…Do you think it is useless?"
"Yes…"
One of the knights answered blankly. The emperor asked in a colder voice.
"Don’t you think that the comet has come too close to be stopped?”
"…"
There was only silence. As she said, the end was already approaching. Would the comet disappear if they destroyed the lighthouse? Could the continent escape from destruction?
"…It doesn't matter."
Nevertheless, Sophien spoke with full confidence.
"Just trust me."
She looked up at the roof, to him waiting at the top of the lighthouse.
"You only have to do what you have to do."
What she had to do, and what Deculein would do. And what she would do.
"…I will do the rest."
Sophien knew what Deculein wanted and what would happen to this continent.
"I will take care of everything."
Knowing that Sophien said so. Because she was the noblest-born emperor on this continent and because she was the one who took on the greatest responsibility there was.
"Leave it all to me, and you only need to follow."
The same words were spoken to the pathetic knights who had fallen from this place and the beloved man looking down at them.
"…I will devote myself to you."
Sophien promised.
