Chapter 660 – Conversation (3)
I, Lee Hoyeol.
-Your suggestion has been reflected in the update.
At this moment, I felt like I had been thrown into the valley of confusion.
I must’ve been that out of it,
to forget even my dignified acting and scratch my head.
Scratch, scratch.
“I’m going crazy, seriously.”
Alright, there’s still time until Thursday.
To verify if my suggestion—that the regular update not allow the appearance of the Sixth Throne Demon King, Valefor—was actually reflected, I would have to wait patiently until Thursday.
In other words…
“…Is this some kind of lie?”
It seems I have to hold on to my nerves until Thursday.
Well, as the saying goes, you only see what you want to see.
Wasn’t I the one who deceived Grandfell before?
“There’s definitely some hidden agenda here…”
I continued to ponder while rubbing my chin.
If Grandfell were watching this situation,
he would’ve definitely said something by now.
Doubting the outcome before even seeing it after the opponent has done all this?
That would be an action that you can’t find any pride in.
‘…Yeah, Hoyeol.’
Though I told myself to not loosen my guard, I knew this was close to unnecessary suspicion.
I could check if the regular update was actually delayed and still vent my frustration toward Raymon Sean afterward.
I shook my head.
“It’s fine. I’ve got a lot to do anyway.”
As I said, I need to enter the Arcana continent and hunt the nameless Claudi who possesses Harkon’s body.
If I calculate the time difference between the Arcana continent and reality:
‘I’ve got quite a bit of time until Thursday.’
Still, I immediately activated the portal.
There were many reasons, but right now, my unease was the biggest factor.
Sitting at the desk would only make my thoughts more convoluted.
Ttogak.
But once I entered the Arcana continent,
and stepped foot in the capital of the Empire, Antonium,
my mind became even more complicated rather than calming down.
The broken “■” messages flickered in my view…
Soon, Antonium, which looked different from usual, came into sight.
“Heugh, hik-hikh…”
Sadness filled the air.
The sound of sobbing didn’t stop.
As if my instincts weren’t wrong.
In the midst of it, I overheard the conversations of the players.
“So, he really is dead, Commander Harkon.”
“At least we found his body…”
“At least this time, Raymon Sean stayed within the lines.”
It was true.
Harkon’s body had returned to Antonium.
The one who could do such a thing, as the players had guessed,
was none other than Raymon Sean.
I thought of the nameless Claudi.
‘I don’t know what happened to that guy, but…’
A demon would never do something like this.
Maybe that’s why.
Even though I felt relieved, I couldn’t fully let my guard down.
‘What are you trying to do, Raymon Sean?’
*
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Harkon Kingsguard.
The next commander of the Lionheart Order, inheriting his legacy.
Jessica Bright picked up Harkon’s cloak.
“Commander…”
The bloodstained cloak seemed to tell of the fierce battle he last fought. In fact, even without the cloak, Harkon’s life story was deeply etched in his body.
A face scarred with large marks.
A body covered in scars.
Two legs that were not whole…
Jessica knelt in front of Harkon’s coffin.
“…I don’t have the confidence to do it like you, Commander.”
If she had known he would return like this, she would have followed him instead. The memories of being with Harkon passed through Jessica’s mind.
“He did not lose.”
“…!”
She heard Hoyeol’s voice.
“Did not lose…?”
At those words, Jessica flinched.
Just a moment ago, she had regretted thinking that Harkon had died after being defeated by some unknown enemy, considering the state of his body.
However…
“The Empire’s lion definitely bit the enemy’s throat.”
Hoyeol, of all people, was the one saying this.
Creak.
Jessica stood up and spoke.
“Is that true, Supreme Commander?”
This was a question Jessica would never ask if she were her usual disciplined self. Even if it seemed unbelievable, if it was her superior’s words, she would believe and follow them, because that was the kind of knight Jessica Bright was.
“Truly, Commander Harkon…!”
Now, Jessica needed a more certain belief.
Without it, she wouldn’t be able to carry the weight of Commander Harkon.
However, Jessica had overlooked one fact.
The person in front of her was Hoyeol.
Even with tears running down her face, there was no slight change in Hoyeol’s expression. No, what’s more, he returned the question to Jessica, who was struggling to suppress her emotions.
“Can you not see it?”
Action speaks louder than words.
“…?”
Jessica turned her head to follow Hoyeol’s gaze. There, she saw it. The face of Commander Harkon, which she hadn’t been able to see clearly due to the tears.
More precisely,
“…!”
The corners of Harkon’s mouth had slightly risen.
It was a peaceful smile as if he had finally laid everything down, and Jessica realized what thoughts she had been harboring. She remembered the creed of the Lionheart Order.
-“It was truly an honorable death, my brothers.”
After the battle, Harkon had said this.
Jessica wiped her tears.
And she spoke.
“You were also honorable till the end, Commander.”
The Emperor.
And the moment even his sword closed its eyes.
It was only natural that the Empire would fall into another chaos.
Only then did Jessica realize the weight she now carried.
And so…
“Thank you. And…”
She could no longer stay in this place.
Jessica bowed her head toward Hoyeol.
Her eyes had already taken on a solemn expression.
“I apologize for showing such a weak side, Supreme Commander.”
*
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It wasn’t exactly a weak side.
“Phew.”
Much stronger than me.
I let out a deep sigh only after Jessica had withdrawn.
There was no other choice.
Reverse magic application.
I had witnessed Harkon’s final moments.
I could guess the reason for the scars on his body using reverse magic, but I couldn’t show Jessica the traces of his magic because Harkon wasn’t a mage.
“…Was it really necessary?”
The wound in his chest.
That was the mark left when Harkon had pierced his own heart with his sword to resist possession. I knew that pain better than anyone. I furrowed my brow.
But I didn’t express any emotions beyond that.
No shame, no pretense.
This was no less than an insult to Harkon.
“Still, in the end, he did it.”
Well.
In truth, it was an incomprehensible trace.
How could Harkon have hunted down the unknown Claudi?
Regardless of the process.
Most importantly, the unknown Claudi was a demon.
“Given the right conditions, demons will inevitably resurrect.”
But in my senses, I no longer felt the presence of the unknown Claudi. This meant I could no longer feel the presence of that being anywhere on the Arcana continent.
There were two possibilities to consider here.
First, Grandfell might have taken the unknown Claudi to the demon world. The other possibility was that the unknown Claudi somehow fell into hell.
“The first possibility seems closer to the truth.”
Thinking back to the situation.
Grandfell had been deceived quite beautifully.
He had taken the unknown Claudi to the demon world in anger…
I shook my head.
“Grandfell, of all people, in anger?”
Enough, let go of those prideful thoughts.
“Anyway, I’m glad Harkon made it back.”
I stared at Harkon for a while before opening a portal.
It had been four days by the time I attended Harkon’s memorial service in Arcana.
In reality, only a day had passed.
“Thursday, I can check the results right away.”
Raymon Sean.
He was truly an unpredictable being. Just like in the past when he hoped for humanity’s destruction, he now showed such kindness that even I, filled with deep distrust, was tempted.
Anyway, Grandfell, you may not think highly of me.
“For Harkon’s sake, please understand.”
I believed Raymon Sean must have been involved in Harkon’s return to Antonium. Otherwise, the updates regarding Harkon would not have been renewed.
I proceeded through the portal, making a vow.
“I will not let my guard down until the very end.”
This time, trust me, Grandfell.
*
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A deep, infinite void (Mugan).
All that existed was a mechanical device.
It was too massive to be called a computer.
And too strange to be considered a supercomputer.
-Analysis of the situation begins.
-Analysis in progress.
-Updating the records for goal achievement.
It was almost expected.
This mechanical device was an AI with intelligence far surpassing humans, called Project ‘Raymon Sean’. The structure it had designed for maximum efficiency was far beyond scientific common sense.
But even with its [『Anomaly』] computational power, it could not provide an update capable of solving this crisis. Despite the billions, trillions, and almost infinite computations, the answer was elusive.
It was a bug that could not be solved.
Had it been a simple error, it could have been fixed through log analysis, but an unsolvable bug was impossible to correct. The cause of the crisis was beyond the system’s control.
-Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo: The current account has been deactivated.
-Analyzing the cause.
-Analysis failed.
Had it merely failed in analysis, there would have been no intervention.
But the truth was, it would only have a negative impact on the goal. After numerous trial and error since the beta test and formal service of Arcana continent’s electricity, I should have learned.
However, I could no longer remain passive.
-Changing algorithm.
I was certain that this bug would lead to the downfall of my plan.
After countless computations, I was convinced of it.
In that sense, my suggestion had not a single lie.
-Modifying the goal.
-New goal: True truth.
-Searching for new objectives.
In the process, I applied the system I had created.
-※Warning: Relationship with the target is too low.
Of course, it had little effect.
As I mentioned, he was a being who couldn’t be contained in the system.
Thus, the new goal had to be simple.
-New goal found.
Persuading the target.
-Current goal: Maintain the world as the target desires.
To ensure the target does not abandon the current world line.
I must create the world he wants.
If there are any obstacles in the process,
I must actively intervene to prevent them.
-The Sixth Throne’s Demon King, Valefor: Account sanctions.
If I fail,
-※Warning: If goal achievement fails, 17,821 worlds will be destroyed.
Everything will return to nothingness (Mu).
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Pindang: Mugan(無間) is Infinite and Mu(無) is Nothing
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