Chapter : 152

“Will you finally give Lerwon back to me?”

How was I supposed to take those words?

For a moment, I was at a loss for words, just staring at Iris Viden.

In her brazen assertion of ownership, I caught a glimpse of the kind of life Lerwon must have lived.

Just what kind of existence was Lerwon to this woman? A possession or a son?

Even in the developer Q&A, they had answered that it was impossible to give a clear answer.

But, at the same time, the developers had said this:

As long as Lerwon didn’t die, Iris could not change.

As long as Lerwon existed, Iris would remain the cruel and arrogant Master of Gold.

“Lerwon-sunbae was never mine, nor is he yours, Iris.”

“No, that’s not right. The moment I saved that child who should have died on the execution ground, fed him, raised him, and taught him everything I know, he became mine, and he ought to die as mine.”

At Iris’s glaring eyes, I swept a hand through my hair.

My father really is an ideal parent. Swallowing my internal grumbling, I faced Iris, who still wore a leisurely smile.

“You have no intention of stopping, do you?”

“Is there any reason I should stop?”

“What if Sunbae dies because of your ambition?”

“He was a child brought in for that very purpose. So, even if he dies, there’s no way I’ll change.”

Iris tilted her head.

Yes, you will change. Sunbae’s death will change you.

The fact that you drove Sunbae to that point, the final sight of Sunbae dying without even a body left behind, the final voice of Sunbae who called you, a monstrous human, ‘mother’ until the very end.

You will inevitably change, but you won’t know it. Because only I know, and it’s a future that won’t come to pass.

“So, will you return him now?”

“I believe you already know my answer.”

I glared at her with blatant hostility.

It was only natural that I wouldn’t send Sunbae back.

The moment that woman gets her hands on Sunbae again, she’ll break him to her liking.

And the barely-recovered Lerwon will be broken without a fight.

As much as he’s recovered, it will be even more thorough, even faster.

“A clear answer is always important.”

“Go screw yourself.”

“I thought so. Then I suppose I have no need to hold back either.”

Iris, who had been sitting, stood up and squeezed my shoulder tightly.

“The next time we meet, we’ll be enemies.”

“Even so, I don’t wish for your death.”

“Haha, it will be amusing to watch and see if you can manage not to kill me.”

With those final words, Iris disappeared, and the darkness lifted in an instant.

Perhaps from the shock, my previously calm heart began to pound violently, and my legs gave out, causing me to slump to the ground.

“Theo!!”

I heard voices calling for me.

I was definitely not in my right mind, but I somehow managed to squeeze out a voice.

“I’m over here!”

The first person to run over was Lerwon-sunbae.

Of all people, it had to be Lerwon-sunbae. I needed to control my expression, but that was a bit difficult.

It wasn’t because I was afraid of Iris.

From the moment Sunbae and I escaped from the dungeon, I knew that Iris would one day become our enemy.

What I had to hide was my worry for Sunbae. If I had to hide fear, I could probably manage a smile, but hiding worry was too difficult.

“Theo.”

Sunbae dropped into a crouch and met my face.

People can read a surprising amount from one’s expression.

Worry, concern, and even fear, all of it.

Amidst a fear that was too clear to hide, a look of resolve flashed across Lerwon-sunbae’s face.

“Sunbae, whatever you’re thinking right now, don’t do any of it.”

I grabbed Sunbae’s arm.

No, don’t do it. Whatever you’re thinking right now, don’t do anything.

“Sunbae. I intervened in your life, and I turned you back into a human. Right?”

“…That’s right.”

“Then don’t go back. How long do you think your current self can last by Iris’s side?”

“I’d break down quickly. But—”

Why is there a ‘but’ there!

I just managed to turn Lucian from a frustrating character into a dried sweet potato, and now this sunbae is trying to be the frustrating one himself!

What on earth should I do with this sunbae?

I pondered for a moment—before Zephyros approached from a distance and leaned his body on top of Sunbae’s head.

“Hey, this is a bit heavy.”

“Oh, was this a head and not an ornament?”

As he pressed down with his weight, a pained grunt escaped Lerwon-sunbae’s lips.

“I said it’s heavy!”

Sunbae immediately shot up and retaliated against Zephyros.

Lerwon-sunbae pulled Zephyros’s long hair, and Sunbae bit Zephyros’s arm.

“Pfft—”

This wasn’t some heart-thumping fight between five-year-olds.

Weren’t we in a super serious mood just now? But, could it suddenly become this childish?

“You’re next, Theo.”

Zephyros declared proudly while clamping down on Sunbae’s arm with his teeth.

“Are you going to let go?”

“You let go first!”

Wouldn’t kindergarteners fight more maturely than this?

As I was thinking such thoughts and wondering how to stop them, Lucian, having heard the commotion, came over and separated Zephi and Sunbae.

“You managed to find us.”

“This was the loudest place.”

Uh… well, that’s true. It’s a fact that if it’s noisy, it’s highly likely to be us.

The people who had gathered to float the lanterns had slowly moved away from the childish fight of teenagers, so there were fewer people around compared to the noise.

“Shameful humans.”

At Lucian’s words, the two, as if they hadn’t just been pulling hair and biting arms, quickly grabbed onto me.

“By the way, Cecilia-sunbae said you wouldn’t get hurt from just a hit or two anymore, right?”

“No, I’m still weak.”

What am I supposed to do with a physical resistance of 32, really?

It was because Cecilia-sunbae had held back that I managed to endure it.

“If you hit me with all your might, I’m confident I’d die.”

“Don’t have that kind of confidence.”

Lucian chuckled.

“So what were you fighting about anyway?”

“It was obvious he was digging himself into a hole.”

Zephi’s explanation was simple and to the point.

As if stung by the explanation, Sunbae revealed his anger openly.

“You can all talk so easily because you don’t know how scary Mother is!”

His shout was filled with an unconcealable fear and anxiety.

“X-bal! What a tragic hero we have here!”

The one who spoke first was Zephyros.

Zephyros frowned deeply and looked at Sunbae with an expression that said, “What should I do with this human?”

“It’s not like that woman’s madness is a one or two-day affair, why are you suddenly so scared now!”

“Because you guys are in danger!”

“If that was the case, you should have just died when Theo was accused of being a heretic!!”

A thunderous shout struck Lerwon right in the face.

A bewildered gaze met Zephyros. Flames of anger blazed in Zephyros’s eyes.

No one could stop Zephi in that state. Not that I had any intention of stopping him in the first place.

I grabbed the shoulder of Lucian, who was glancing around nervously, wondering if he should intervene.

Right now, it would be better for Zephyros to persuade him than for us to add our two cents.

“If you push us away now, saying we’re in danger or whatever, do you think it’s possible for us to go, ‘Oh, I see!

We might be in danger, so we should just cut ties like this’?”

Lerwon couldn’t even retort to Zephyros’s question and just kept his mouth shut.

“If you really want to leave so badly, then get the hell out!”

“Hey! Things were going well, why are you suddenly talking like that!”

Instead of skillfully persuading him!!

I was so shocked that I yelled, but Zephyros only spewed more anger.

“Then how do you stop a person who wants to leave on his own two feet!”

Ah, that’s not wrong either… but still, that escalated way too quickly.

“Why! Is returning to Iris to protect us a noble sacrifice, but just getting lost is a dog’s death, no matter how you look at it?”

No matter how I think about it, his words are too extreme.

At this rate, even if he was being persuaded, he would get worked up and refuse to follow. Zephyros, you damn bastard.

“Or, do you want me to kill you with my own hands so you don’t have to go back to the Golden?”

Lerwon said nothing to the murderous suggestion. However, his expression clearly showed that he didn’t want that.

“Don’t act like a fool, trembling like an idiot at mere words like these.”

At the murderous, threat-like rebuke, Sunbae struggled to open his mouth.

“…As if I’d want to go back.”

“Then that’s settled.”

Amidst the simple and clear answer, Sunbae’s expression became complicated.

Originally, this wasn’t something that should be decided so simply… He was clearly thinking that.

“Sunbae, if I was the type of person to be scared of something like that, would I have brought you out of that dungeon?”

“But….”

“Even if you don’t trust us fully, please just believe in us a little.”

I crossed my arms and declared as if shouting.

“I’d rather win dirty and cheap than lose fair and square.”

At the slightly absurd declaration, Lerwon seemed at a loss for words, blinking his eyes several times.

“Or did I seem that incompetent in your eyes, Sunbae?

Have you forgotten that you returned to being human thanks to me?”

Even a curse that god himself had warned there would be no way to reverse, I somehow managed to break and save you, didn’t I?

I smiled playfully and extended my hand towards Sunbae. I really wasn’t interested in any more frustrating drama.

“Sometimes, you seem like someone from a completely different world.”

Huh? Why is he hitting the nail on the head all of a sudden?

I was almost flustered by the unexpected words, but I barely maintained my composure.

Doesn’t he have good intuition in strange places?

“Do you know what a high price I paid to save you, Sunbae?”

“I… wouldn’t know.”

“To be honest, I don’t really know either. Still, please believe in me. We’re comrades, aren’t we?”

At my repeated request, Sunbae still hesitated, but eventually, he firmly grasped my outstretched hand.

I stood up from my seat with Sunbae.

Beyond the horizon, I could see hundreds, thousands of lanterns flying towards the sky.

The bright light of the lanterns embroidered the dark night sea.

Just as the humble lanterns illuminated the darkness with a light stronger than the moon—

“Someday, the darkness will lift too.”

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