Chapter 180
‘Where… am I?’
Erica is left alone in a pure white space.
She looks around, trying to gather any information, but nothing registers.
Even when she spreads her mana wide or calls out, all she gets in return is silence.
After hearing Anna’s words, she thought she had been enveloped in the light space, only to find herself in this inexplicable place.
‘Am I still trapped in Anna’s memory?’
Surely it can’t be that she ended up in the Space of Nothingness due to a blunder in the dungeon…
If that’s the case, then there must be some kind of reason behind it.
Erica starts to move.
With her feet bound, her vision is restricted, so she decides to shift her position and look around.
However, no matter how much she walks, the background doesn’t change.
Which way is forward and which way is back?
She’s confused about what’s up and down.
Her steps begin to quicken. Faced with this unfamiliar situation, fear starts to creep in. It seems like there’s no concept of stamina; she can run quite fast without getting out of breath.
Nothingness and emptiness bred terror.
Before long, Erica is frantically searching for an exit.
“Schugenharz…! Schugenharz…!”
Before she knows it, she calls out for a man. Even though there’s no echo in response, her trembling lips keep moving.
After what feels like a long time—though she can’t even sense time—it seems ages have passed.
Finally, she sees someone else.
“Schugenhar…z?”
In front of Erica, a young boy stands, looking strikingly similar to him. It’s almost like she’s seeing 13-year-old Vargan; the aura he gives off is eerily familiar.
The boy is gazing at Erica.
His empty eyes hold her gaze quietly.
And then…
“Where, where are you going…! Where are you going?!”
The boy moves away from Erica, taking steps backward.
Erica chases after him. He’s the only existence in this world of nothingness. If she loses him now, she might never find another clue, so her feet move in a hurry.
Though the boy’s pace doesn’t seem fast, he quickly distances himself.
To Erica, it feels like every ten of her steps are just one of his.
She can only barely match his speed when she runs full throttle. Shouting the unknown boy’s name, she tries to keep him within her sight.
“Stop! Please stop!”
The boy doesn’t answer.
He doesn’t even look back.
He just moves forward silently, as if she doesn’t matter at all.
“If you won’t stop, then I’ll go with you…! Just a little slower…!”
“Slow down a bit…!”
Erica’s stride gradually shortened.
Her vision lowered, making the boy appear larger.
The desperate voice calling out to the boy turned into that of a young girl still struggling to find her words.
“Please… I want to go too…! Don’t leave me behind. Vargan-sama!”
Young Erica called out to him.
In the place the boy was trying to reach, there existed a color that didn’t belong in the pure white world. The familiar sight of the mansion. But…
…Huh. Why am I calling that kid “Vargan-sama”?
*
Standing in the heart of the dungeon was Vargan.
After Anna’s memories reverted to light, Vargan emerged from there.
Beside him, on the back of Kry, the Chimera Familiar, Erica was asleep.
Perhaps having a nightmare, her brows furrowed often. Yet she was breathing steadily, and there were no issues with her mana. She would wake up before long.
After checking Erica’s condition again, Vargan focused on the light before him.
‘Is it trying to lure me?’
The light hovered in the air like footprints, indicating a direction.
Vargan examined it, realizing it was simply mana made visible. The dungeon was calling him.
Vargan’s shadow twisted, and from it, a creature, Dark, sprang out. It was rare for it to stir on its own without his command.
Dark showed interest in the trace of light.
“Are you saying we should follow it?”
Dark nodded. When Vargan shot a glance at Erica, seemingly concerned, Kry, carrying her, rumbled reassuringly like a large cat.
With a faint smile, Vargan followed the light’s footprints with Dark.
The footprints didn’t stretch far.
After walking a bit, they soon reached a dead end, where the light was engraved as a pattern on the wall.
As Vargan arrived in front of it, the pattern of the light changed, and the spell was released. The wall crumbled, leaving an opening just big enough for one person to pass through.
This phenomenon wasn’t mentioned in the original work.
Was it because he met specific conditions? Or perhaps…
Vargan pondered over it, but ultimately decided to go inside. Dark was showing too much interest to ignore.
With a childlike creature covered in black blankets moving up and down in eager expression, he couldn’t resist.
Upon entering the hole, he saw something resembling a small altar.
There, a pair of wings the size of an eagle were resting. The neatly severed wings closely resembled something that had troubled Erica.
‘Seiman’s wings… a smaller version.’
Having carefully examined the wing’s weakness during the battle with Seiman, he easily recognized that it was made of similar material.
Of course, it didn’t compare to the original, but it should hold up well enough to withstand considerable physical force. It might not be top-tier, but it would certainly pass as first-rate.
‘This item also wasn’t hinted at in the original. The developments have changed, so the reward given must be different…? Does everyone get a different reward?’
While Vargan was lost in thought, Dark, standing close to the wings, stared intently at them. Despite lacking eyes, it expressed a strong desire to touch them.
“You want to eat that?”
It nodded.
“Will you be able to digest it properly?”
Nod, nod.
Nodding.
The head of the Dark One, looking somewhat excited, moved back and forth repeatedly. If it was speaking this much, it surely had a significant meaning.
Having made the decision, Vargan allowed the Dark One to handle the wings.
As soon as the permission was granted, the Dark One stretched out like slime and charged at the altar as if to swallow it.
In an instant, the Dark One devoured the wings.
Perhaps feeling pleased or like it was digesting, its body trembled slightly.
Soon, the creature stopped moving. There was no sudden appearance of wings or any noticeable change. Externally, there seemed to be no abnormalities or transformations.
As Vargan observed the Dark One, he attempted the Enchanting Magic.
Instantly, the Dark One enveloped Vargan’s body, transforming into the form of a black suit.
“There’s a slight change in appearance with Enchanting Magic.”
A small pattern appeared on the previously plain suit. It only became visible when light was cast upon it. Vargan immediately circulated his mana. The content was more important than the appearance. The performance.
After confirming everything, Vargan smiled broadly.
“The physical defense and magical resistance have greatly increased.”
The resistance Vargan originally possessed, the defense of the Dark One, and the effect of Enchanting Magic were imbued with the properties of this relic.
“With this, it wouldn’t be significantly lacking even when compared to the wings of Seiman that I saw in Anna’s memories…!”
Though it couldn’t achieve complete invulnerability like it had shown, the level had greatly increased. At this level, he believed he could withstand several hits even from Bishop Han.
“Speaking of which, it seems I’ve just come out of the dungeon.”
Vargan remarked when he no longer felt Han’s mana.
A moment ago, just after coming out of the world of memories.
Vargan had heightened his vigilance towards Han again. It was highly likely that what Anna had given him was a memory he had lost, so he couldn’t be sure what kind of reaction Han would have.
Han, standing with eyes closed for a moment, spoke.
—I really did live a terrible life…
Killing without any proper reason.
Burning down the village just for fun.
Slitting open a mother’s belly to hear an infant scream.
Beheading a child to see the parents’ tears of blood.
—Even with just a small part of my memories returning, if this is how I feel… once all my memories return, I might become a completely different being.
He was still maintaining his integrity.
Though his energy may have dulled compared to before, he hadn’t stained the blank page he had eaten.
In his eyes were feelings of guilt and concern.
The fog shrouding the ravine, which felt heavy like clouds, was beginning to lift. If he were to fully recover all the memories that had yet to return, could he maintain his sanity while enduring that transformation?
—Rest assured, I still have no intention of harming you. At least at this moment, I don’t consider you my enemies.
Han attempted to retreat, and Vargan asked where he was going.
He clarified that maintaining his personality and bearing the weight of his sins was a burden he had to carry. He stated he would keep his distance from people for a while and focus on controlling himself.
He also mentioned he would set up mechanisms to prevent the risk of becoming a madman due to the weight of his sins.
Vargan proposed to him as he was leaving.
“I’ll help you keep your sanity, so would you do a few things for me?”
However, Han rejected him outright.
He didn’t want to be subjected to someone else nor did he wish to follow someone’s orders.
I didn’t even want to hear it.
All I want is to quietly wander the world while atoning for my sins.
—It’s not right for others to share my guilt.
Reconfirming Han’s steadfast resolve, Vargan sighed and quietly let him go. The two parted without any particular farewells.
“Even if he’s Han, how could he not notice… Truly impressive.”
Vargan emerged from the hole in the wall.
Recalling his original purpose for coming here, he calculated various fluctuations and other conditions.
The result he arrived at.
“What a regrettable matter.”
Despite his tone, he was chuckling to himself.
*
Han was stepping outside the dungeon.
Fighting against the evil and violent self gradually filling his mind, he moved toward the light that was starting to show. The sins of the past were shockingly overwhelming, but this too was part of his penance.
He could only truly escape the monster by enduring them.
He no longer wished to live the life of a terrible monster.
‘Was it Vargan…?’
Suddenly, he thought of a person imitating a monster.
For reasons unknown, he wanted to transcend humanity. Denying his innate self, brainwashing himself, and habituating his actions to change his essence.
Whatever life he had lived until now, it surely was not a peaceful one.
The complete opposite of himself.
‘…I feel like we’ll meet again in the near future. No, it’s certain we will.’
What he desired was upheaval and chaos.
Given their opposing positions, their meeting was inevitable.
What would he be like by then?
Lost in such thoughts, he reached the end of the dungeon. Just like when he entered, a transparent barrier surrounded the entrance, blocking the view outside.
Han passed through the dungeon’s membrane.
Morning sunlight flooded into his eyes.
Before he knew it, a day had flown by, and the new sun’s grace enveloped the land.
The cool breeze in the gorge tousled Han’s tied-back hair.
Han quietly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“…I think my expectations were wrong.”
Taking a slow breath, he summoned the exhausted mana from his fight against Seiman. The mana, radiating a different purple aura, ignited with the mark of Altife on his body.
Serenely.
He prepared to pour all his strength into the opponent before him.
A man with a cropped haircut stood short, armed with a spear that appeared to be of high rank. No mana emanated from him. No intention to attack or malice was sensed.
Nevertheless, he was clearly trying to kill him.
Not by his will, but by someone else’s orders. Yet, his pride was not diminished; instead, it was lofty.
Even facing him directly, Han found it impossible to sense his aura. He could very well be someone who wouldn’t even be noticed in the dungeon.
The man facing Han was encircled by a red aura around his spear. It was a level of aura he had never seen in his long life.
He was Vargan’s loyal subject, the leader of the Madere Guild.
One of the few swordsmen and weapon masters mentioned in stories.
The God of War from Burtemberg, Bram.
He had come here under his master Vargan’s orders to eliminate Bishop Han.
Before dashing at supersonic speed, Han said one last thing. Knowing it wouldn’t be heard, he smiled bitterly.
“Vargan, you were quite the monster indeed.”
