Chapter 833: The Last (66)
‘But it’s good that he’s quick-witted.’
There were some problems with his acting skills, but he certainly seemed to understand what I wanted. Even if I didn’t explain anything, he knew what to say and what attitude to take.
‘It’s pretty good overall.’
It was right to applaud him just because he followed my lead.
Of course, his face was very distorted. He looked regretful, and he seemed to be contemplating whether he had to do this. Overall, he had a shameful expression. I wondered if he’d hide in a mouse hole if there were one, but there was no way he would go into it.
In the first place, he would not be able to argue that this was the most reliable method.
He was worried about when he would be stabbed in the back, so I was sure he’d feel safe in his own way.
‘There’s no better way to do it than to tell the public directly. I’ll also earn some divinity.’
As I glanced at Park Deokgu, I saw him sending an apologetic look to him.
‘Of course, he’d do that.’
He criticized him for being a demon summoner, saying all the bad things he could say.
It seemed difficult to understand exactly what the current situation was, but it was the same for the people of the continent watching this situation.
Rather, it felt like an opportunity to explain the context. Unsurprisingly, I saw Park Deokgu quietly nodding.
“W-What does that mean… then…”
“…”
“You mean it was all a misunderstanding?”
‘Would it be just a misunderstanding? I’ll come up with a really nice story.’
It was a story and a role I had been saving. To be honest, it wasn’t worth it for Jin Qing, but I couldn’t help it.
“It’s not just a misunderstanding, Park Deokgu.”
“Hyung-nim…”
‘You can’t call me hyung-nim. Fuck.’
“I-I mean… Hye… Hyejin…”
Right. I was Cho Hyejin now. Hyejin loved justice more than anyone else, liked the Blue, and sometimes posted on Benignore Net with the intention of looking for advice.
“He was fighting.”
“What… does…”
“The Commander was fighting a battle that was not revealed to the world, a place out of the reach of the public. As a shadow of Light, he was fighting the demon in constant pain. The Commander has been fighting, knowing that his own body will crumble. Perhaps he was aware of these results. He knew that his body… would someday…”
“I… I mean… what…”
I could just talk about possibilities later. I had to focus on this first.
“Even knowing that one day he will be eaten by the demon!”
I began to shed more tears. A few drops of it even got blown into the air, which made it more cinematic.
‘I like Hyejin’s face like this.’
She definitely had the type of facial features that could make up an overall trustworthy expression.
Although the lines were cringeworthy, these kinds of scenes always had to be.
I appealed with a voice and eyes full of acting skills and sincerity.
I also showed Park Deokgu, who seemed to have realized everything. He was giving himself time to think about why I was so confused before.
Lee Kiyoung’s confusion and tears were meant to sympathize with Jin Qing’s life.
‘Right, Deokgu. I think you picked the right answer.’
“Is… that true? Then why… why…”
“The Commander wanted to be a symbol.”
“Symbol…”
“He’s chosen the path of becoming a symbol of fear. I still remember the conversation between the Vice Guild master and Jin Qing- no, the son of Light and the shadow of Light. It was a story that was never known to the continent and had to be buried forever. Don’t you remember too? There’s no way you can’t.”
—That… That…
‘Gosh, this moron is not good at following me.’
He had absolutely no idea about what to do.
‘Gosh, he’s not following me. Look at him not flowing with the tempo. Was the Daughter of Light remark a coincidence? Or has shame started to explode?’
“What… What is that conversation?”
‘Deokgu, fuck, I love you.’
“It was a contract. It was a request not to restore his honor, which the demon had eaten. He wanted to remain as a demon summoner. He wanted his shadow, who had been fighting the devil all his life, to remain as a shadow until he died. That was the Commander’s last favor. Carrying everything on your back as a symbol of evil… as a joke, a traitor to humanity… he wanted to stay that way… to unite the continent.”
—…
‘Gosh, what’s up with his face… Come back to your senses.‘
“This… absurd reality… How could such an absurd reality exist… it shouldn’t be like this.”
“This is reality. This is a reality we must not deny. Perhaps it’s the fault of the continent of the past that the demon has once again robbed the Commander’s soul. It is our fault for ignoring his honor and end. Commander, I still live with the words that you left for me in my heart.”
—…
“You said it was nothing.”
-…
“You said that this sacrifice was insignificant compared to the contribution that the Son of Light did for the continent. You said it was your fault that the demon defeated you, so you calmly accepted the end as a demon summoner. You said that you would live the rest of your life as a shadow. However… However… this ending is too tragic. Even the Vice Guild Master would not want you like this.”
“…”
“The Son of Light also wants you to move your feet toward the heavens.”
‘Start, Deokgu.’
“If… If it’s hyung-nim, I’m sure he’ll want it! I-I didn’t think something like this would happen…”
“…”
“Hey, Commander guy! You can do it. You said you’d been fighting evil all your life. All your life… all your life! There’s no way you can’t escape that. Hey… sorry about everything. I am truly sorry for insulting you as a demon summoner without knowing about what you’re going through.”
He was about to cry.
The way Park Deokgu said emotional lines made me applaud mentally.
He had honesty in his expression, regretting the remarks he made before, and he had a sublime figure that seemed to repent sincerely.
Soon, tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.
“I believe, Commander.”
As I glanced at Han Sora, she began speaking up.
“C-Commander, It’s okay now. You… You no longer have to hide in the shadows.”
‘Nice line.’
I sincerely hoped Jung Hayan wouldn’t say anything for now.
“The continent couldn’t have become one. Yes. The Vice Guild Master used to say the same thing. Even if it was your will, your last request, he was heartbroken for not being able to tell the continent the truth behind you. That’s how strong your will was, but the Vice Guild Master knew.”
—…
“He might have known what it is to really honor you. Look. Commander.”
Tears began to flow from one eye.
“The continents had become one.”
I swiped my gaze towards the camera. Our Hyejin’s debut should be perfect.
“We have defended the continent from great threats, from the prophecies of the apocalypse, from demons in angelic masks. It… It was thanks to you.”
Crying openly was over-emotional. It was best to just let a few drops of tears out and say lines that sounded like they’d appear in a drama.
It was okay to speak with difficulties. The Republic people got out of their minds whenever they got hit with nationalism anyway. Others didn’t usually show many reactions, but the Republic guys…
“It was thanks to you, with the Secret Service of the Republic, who defended the continent in the shadows!”
‘He owns this. Unsurprisingly, I can see the people of the Republic already cheering up with nationalism.’
Older people’s eyes had been moist for a long time. Mumblings began to be heard from all over the place.
-The Commander wasn’t a demon summoner.
-The hero of the shadows… he was an unknown hero from the continent…
‘If I manage the Benignore Net a little while manipulating public opinion centered on the Republic, his identity will be cleansed within a year…’
-You are not a demon summoner, Commander Jin Qing…
-I believed you. W-what did I say? I said he couldn’t be a demon summoner… definitely…
-Don’t lose, Jin Qing! Don’t be defeated by the demon!
-One of the Five Tiger Generals of the Republic. The hope and light of the Republic! This is the Republic you have defended.
‘Whew. The guys of the Republic are way too patriotic.’
I thought it was even more than the State. In a way, their eyes were so filled with pride that they should be the standard of nationalism.
To be honest, these bastards would believe what I said no matter what, even if I took it all back.
Or maybe they just wanted to believe unconditionally.
Those guys had been quite a bit stressed, after all. Considering that the State and the Republic had been rivals since birth, that was understandable.
It was even more so when I considered that the Republic hadn’t done anything right while the State gave birth to two heroes who protected the continent.
They invested a lot of resources and manpower to protect the continent and the pride of their country, but in reality, the sacrifice of the Son of Light and the ending of the Swordsman of Sunset took all the attention.
While the Named beings of the State raised their strength for the Light, the Named beings of the Republic were busy colluding with the demons.
It was a story that everyone could know without needing to say that the pride of the general public and the authorities had to have been hurt.
A means to restore such national pride had emerged.
He wasn’t a demon summoner.
‘This is a real washing machine, isn’t it?’
He was a shadow hero who fought the powers of a demon in an unseen location. Although he was taken away during the battle by the secret society and the demon, he fought to the very end on his own, making him a great man who gave up his honor for the sake of the continent.
‘Honestly, it’s fucking cool. Shadow Hero.’
The Republicans went crazy.
Benignore Net, which was being updated in real-time, was also booming.
In the Republic, only posts supporting Jin Qing could be seen.
Of course, Cho Hyejin, who made her screen debut, also received a good response.
-Commander!
‘It’s really spectacular. Spectacular!’
-We believed in the Commander.
‘These bastards’ attitude change is no joke.’
-We believed that you were not a demon summoner…
‘Not long ago, you were eagerly bad-mouthing him…’
-Commander! Stay strong! The people of the Republic will support and pray for you.
‘Gosh…’
-We believe in you! Damn it!
With everyone’s power…
No matter how shameful it was, no matter how much they thought that it wasn’t the case, even if it wasn’t the direction that they wanted it to go…
At this point, it was like they didn’t have a choice.
I also dropped a few more tears and slapped the desk to say the embarrassingly obvious lines.
“Shadows do not exist without Light. There is still light within you.”
In the end, I saw the cornered guy grabbing his head.
—S… sniff… sniff…
He didn’t add any more lines.
—Aaaaaah…
I was rather embarrassed by it. His pupils were clearly shaking.