Chapter 869: The End of The Scenario (2)
“…Hyejin?”
“Yes, Guild Master. All of the Blue Guild members have arrived. I apologize… for being late.”
“…”
“Guild Master?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Thank you for coming.”
I looked around slowly. As I turned my head, I felt a hand grabbing my other shoulder and heard a familiar voice that was a little noisy at times, but… at this moment, it put my mind at ease.
“You’ve been through a lot. I don’t know how much it will help, but leave the rest to us for now. I’m sorry for depending on you all the time. This is a burden that we must all bear together… You can rest a little.”
I felt someone grabbing my trembling hand.
“Oppa, I’m sorry. I… I… Sniff…”
“It will be fine, Ye-ri. After all, the Vice Guild Master is within us…”
Park Deokgu, Kim Ye-ri, Ahn Ki-mo.
I could finally see their faces. It was dark, so I’d thought I wouldn’t be able to see anyone, but I could see them.
“I think Lee Jihye and manager Kim Mi-young will take charge of the frontlines, Guild Master. We are setting up the command center as quickly as possible, so could you please wait a moment?”
“We… are a little late, aren’t we?”
“I’m sorry, Guild Master.”
Hwang Jeong-yeon, Yoo Ah-young, and Kim Chang-ryul.
“What about o-oppa… O-oppa?”
“H-He will be fine, Jung Hayan. I’m sure of it. So, c-calm down for now… Everything will be fine, okay?”
“Huh? Aah… ugh… I-I don’t want to…”
Jung Hayan and Han Sora were maintaining their magic from a distance.
“Um, Cho Hyejin. Lee Jihye wants to talk to you…”
Park Li-ahn and the new guild member also stood out.
“Long time no see, Guild Master.”
“Hee-young?”
“Yes. I’m sorry for being away for so long.”
“Where have you been…?”
“I’ll tell you everything later. For now…”
“Yeah…”
I hadn’t seen her in a long time.
“Let me greet you as well, Guild Master.”
“Elena.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to contact you. A lot was going on…”
“No. I just want to thank you for coming here.”
She was leading different races.
Now, I could see them properly. The time we had to say hello to each other was very short, but it seemed like we shared a lot.
Unlike before, when I couldn’t see anything, the shapes of everything around me became more and more distinct.
I didn’t know what to say, but my calm heart kept repeating the same voice over and over again.
‘He wasn’t wrong.’
Lee Kiyoung wasn’t wrong.
“Kiyoung…”
It was presumptuous to decide if his sacrifice was right or wrong.
I still couldn’t accept his sacrifice, but what he’d valued was not wrong.
It felt like I could tell what the Son of Light had been trying to say and what he’d wanted to convey to me, even at the cost of himself.
Lee Kiyoung had wanted to tell me that humans were beautiful, pure, and warm.
He’d wanted to deliver this scene to everyone living in this world, to those who believed in doing the right thing, those who were exhausted and struggling, and everyone who had been betrayed by expectations.
He’d wanted to tell all the marginalized people that they weren’t alone.
I just hadn’t noticed it before. Everyone knew he was right, but I might not have believed it.
He’d wanted to show everyone that if we walked hand in hand, given the opportunity, we could move forward together.
‘I believe.’
“Yes… Yes, Kiyoung. Now I think I can believe too.”
“I guess you like to talk to yourself.”
Boooooooooooooom!!
With a loud sound, the bizarre-shaped building finally bounced off.
“I think we came just in time… We’re not too late, are we?”
“Cha Hee-ra.”
“Blue Guild Master. It’s been a while.”
“Park Yeon-joo.”
Lindel’s Red Mercenary and The Black Swan.
Familiar people kept emerging from the magic circle that continued to illuminate the place.
The Knights of the Order, the troops of the Republic, the Federation, and numerous other races… People we had met previously kept catching my eyes.
I gave a brief greeting and prepared myself for combat.
“Today, we want to repay you, hero of the continent. We want to repay the dedication and sacrifice you’ve shown to our world.”
“Oscar…”
“I want to show that his death was worthwhile and that the legacy the Son of Light left with us still lives. Let us prove it to him. We are here to show what his devotion and life left to the continent. We are here to prove that he wasn’t wrong.”
“…”
“That wicked demon says the Son of Light is wrong. But look around, everyone. He was right all along.”
I kept hearing her voice. From the magic circles embroidered in the sky, people kept coming.
I saw warriors wearing armor, priests who sang with great divine power, low-level mercenaries who were ready to die, and even high-level adventurers who came of their own volition.
People from various parts of this world raised their flags and their weapons.
“For the Son of Light!”
“For the Son of Light!”
I knew it was embarrassing. I also knew that I shouldn’t show them my weakness now.
And I knew that nothing had been resolved yet.
However, my tears kept pouring down.
Maybe it was because I was being overwhelmed by emotions right then, but they kept flowing no matter how hard I tried to stop them.
“Sniff… sniff…”
“Guild Master.”
“Sniff… sniff… sniff…”
He had wanted to protect this.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
“Are you okay?”
This was what he’d wanted to show me.
“I’m sorry… for not… sniff… sniff… believing.”
This was what he’d wanted to convey to the worn-out Kim Hyunsung of the first round, to the skeptical Kim Hyunsung of the second round, and to my current self, who was constantly wandering…
He’d wanted to tell us that he wasn’t the only light. That together, we could all become the brilliance we needed.
Booooooooooooooooom!!!!
“That’s a lie. It’s all a lie, God of Sunset. You are being deceived if you think they can make you complete! They are making you weaker as we speak. Don’t listen to those bastards.”
“…”
“It’s all bullshit. He did nothing! His death left nothing behind! What are they going to do now…? What can those lowly mortals even do, huh? I’m different from them. I… I…”
“…”
“I will prove it to you once more!”
“…”
“Let me… Let me show you and everyone here that I am right! I will prove him wrong!”
His beasts moved slowly. They were rushing toward mankind, running frantically, almost as if they were racing against each other.
It was a terrifying sight. There was no way it couldn’t be scary.
But those with shields took one more step forward. They held and leaned on each other and created a shield wall.
“Hey, stay behind me!”
“Divine Protection!”
The priests cast a huge barrier that blocked their way, but the beasts pierced through it, baring their fangs as they entered.
“Raise your shields! Raise your shields! Bastards!”
Boooom!! Craaaaaaaash!!!!
“Raise your shields!”
Booooooooooooooom!!!
“Hyung-nim is watching!”
They overcame their fear. They stood their ground against the abominations that charged toward us.
Divine power continuously fell on them as they lined their shields up beside each other and took a step forward.
“Advance! Advance!”
It was a strange sight.
“D-Die… Die! D-D-Die! O-Oppa… Oppa!”
Wizards began to cast spells. The archers released volley upon volley of arrows, and the spearmen pierced through the enemy lines behind our allies’ shields.
The battle was tough. Some of them displayed their fear at times, but they roared through it, showing their resolve as they took another step forward.
They were also fighting. They sacrificed their lives on the battlefield for the Son of Light.
“Yes, Jihye. Yes. I will tell them. This side seems to be fine… Ah. Yes. We will provide support soon. The Guild Master…”
“…”
“Guild Master. Sorry for the rude question, but…”
“Yeah. I can fight, Hyejin.”
“Jihye will open the way.”
“Okay.”
I wouldn’t run away this time.
“She said she would give the signal.”
“Okay.”
Kim Hyunsung’s life was a series of mistakes and failures. However, at this moment, I felt that I should no longer run away.
‘I believe.’
“Yes. Me too… I believe.”
Escaping was something I’d always thought about. I’d even wanted to start anew.
Maybe I’d wanted to avoid responsibility, my sins, and perhaps even what the Son of Light really wanted to say.
Now, in a position where I’d always received his devotion and sacrifice, for what he gave me, and to atone for what I had committed against him… I also had to convey something.
I had to let him know that this place and the people here loved him as well, that he hadn’t been wrong, and that his sacrifice hadn’t been in vain.
The people he’d shone his brilliance on also illuminated him, creating a sight as beautiful as the sunset’s light.
‘I believe.’
“Yes. I believe too. I can see it now, Kiyoung. I think I understand why you loved this world and its people so much.”
‘I believe.’
“They need you as much as you need them. I…”
When I first came here, I’d actually been at a loss as to what to do. I’d asked myself why I even returned and why I was the only one given a new life. I couldn’t find my purpose… but now I thought I finally had.
I’d returned for him.
I probably hadn’t come back just to fight.
I was here to advocate for what he’d wanted to tell the world and to protect all he’d loved.
He’d wanted to present all these things to me, but I wasn’t the one who should enjoy them. That was what I had realized.
“Everything you ask me to enjoy is what you deserve.”
Even if the price were my life, even if I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the future that would follow, I would give him what he deserved, what he loved, and what he wanted.
“I’m ready, Hyejin.”
‘I will save you.’
“It’s finally time.”