The Choice: A Great Hero or the Magna Carta?
After activating the Stone of Wishes.
“With this, the activation is complete… Hm? Why do you all look like that?”
Helena approached with a light step, reporting the completion of the activation. But upon seeing our faces, she tilted her head in confusion. It was no wonder—none of us were celebrating; instead, we wore expressions of uncertainty.
“It’s because it’s so ambiguous. I mean, when it comes to wishes, it’s hard to separate them from personal desires.”
“Ah, I see what you mean. But there’s no need for a wish to be entirely free of desire, is there? It’s only a problem if desire is the primary focus. If it’s secondary, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Helena’s advice was sensible, but I couldn’t help but chuckle dryly. It’s easier said than done.
Human emotions are so complex that even we struggle to measure them accurately. Expecting someone to control their emotions and set aside their desires? That’s a tall order.
Realizing the meaning behind my laughter, Helena shrugged and continued.
“If that’s the case, there might be a way.”
At her words, all eyes, including mine, turned to her.
Helena flashed a seductive smile, licking her lips slightly before giving a playful wink. She looked like an enchanting temptress, though her hair and eye color had changed, making her seem quite different from the great hero we first met.
“While we can’t completely overturn the basic principles, we can slightly increase the chances. For some, it might even be a significant increase.”
“Oh? And how would that be?”
“Human emotions are indeed mysterious, capable of changing in any situation… an inner world that can’t be easily measured.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking in riddles.”
I understood her point, but it wasn’t particularly helpful in our current situation.
Helena wagged her finger and tapped her lips thoughtfully.
“In short, it means you need to talk your way through it. Even a god’s judgment is ultimately subjective.”
So, she was suggesting we talk our way through with a god? And not just any god, but Ganesha, the god of language and wisdom?
I sighed deeply, feeling the odds were still against us.
The clan members also wore puzzled expressions, glancing at each other uncertainly. No one seemed eager to step forward.
It was understandable. The Stone of Wishes promised a great reward, but one misstep could ruin everything. Who would want to take the first step in such a precarious situation?
After a moment of contemplation, I spoke up quietly.
“Then I’ll go first. How should I proceed?”
“Are you sure about this?” Yu-jeong asked quickly, but I shook my head. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a clear solution. The only option left was to face it head-on. We couldn’t just sit around forever, so it was best for me to take the lead.
“I understand what everyone is worried about. I’m in the same boat. But given the situation, what choice do we have? It would be great if it works out, but if not, so be it. I’ll leave the decision about this reward to each of you. I won’t ask or judge what wishes you make, so let’s not stress too much and think positively.”
This was the best I could do for now. My words seemed to have some effect, as the clan members’ faces brightened slightly.
“The process is simple. The portal is already active, and the area around the central stone is essentially another dimension. Kneel before the stone and listen, and you’ll hear the voice of the god.”
Helena’s voice guided me, and I found the instructions surprisingly straightforward as I moved toward the central stone.
As I stepped into the center of the magical circle, I sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The presence of the clan members vanished, leaving me feeling as though I was alone.
Before me stood the Stone of Wishes, its green light shimmering. I touched the stone briefly, then knelt as instructed. Just as my knee was about to touch the ground—
A hum!
“Huh?”
A clear light burst from the stone, enveloping me. My body moved involuntarily, my bent knee straightening, and I found myself sitting comfortably on the ground, my legs folded beneath me.
At that moment, a gentle voice echoed in my ears, like a dream.
I sat in stunned silence for three seconds before lowering my gaze to my chest. It was Hwajeong again.
Hwajeong’s voice came from within, and I quickly responded.
Do you know each other?
Subordinates, huh. Well, that’s convenient. Hwajeong, you…
Come on, just a little…
Hwajeong seemed to have guessed what I was about to say and cut me off firmly.
Seeing Hwajeong’s resolute stance, I realized it was pointless to press further.
With a sigh of regret, I looked up at the stone. Its mysterious green light continued to flow.
After a moment, Ganesha’s voice resonated in my ears.
“Um, she said she was very pleased to meet you. And she hopes you’ll grant the wish of the human she’s currently residing in, as she holds him in special regard.”
After moistening my lips, I spoke calmly.
And then, the storm hit.
Hey! Are you serious?!
Hoho! I’m glad to hear she was pleased. But please, don’t lie. I am Ganesha, the god of language and wisdom. I know she didn’t say that. Hohoho!
Damn. So he knew all along.
As Hwajeong raged within me, I twisted my body, grumbling internally. Of course, I didn’t show it outwardly, as it was mostly my fault.
“Ty… who?”
“I didn’t.”
Now that I think about it, I vaguely recall seeing something similar in a message when I started my second life.
Anyway.
Regardless, it was no longer my concern, so I decided to focus on my wish.
“Anyway, may I ask a few questions before making my wish?”
”…Is that not possible?”
I felt a wave of dizziness. What a difficult goddess. Or perhaps all conversations with gods were like this?
Sensing my plight, Ganesha’s voice softened.
I surrendered completely. It was as if he knew everything I was going to say, leaving me breathless. To think I could talk my way through with Ganesha. It was absurd.
Staying like this wouldn’t improve anything.
Honestly, there were countless wishes I wanted to make, both for myself and for those around me.
But I felt certain that voicing them would lead to failure.
Still, I couldn’t waste such a golden opportunity. I needed to make a wish that had the highest chance of success and would be most beneficial.
Having made up my mind, I stood up calmly.
And I recalled Helena’s words.
“Human emotions are indeed mysterious, capable of changing in any situation…”
“I’ll stop here. I’ll just quietly state my wish.”
“A wise choice. Please, go ahead with your wish.”
“Before that, give me a moment. I need to gather my thoughts.”
“Hmm.”
A dismissive snort reached my ears, and I calmly closed my eyes.
I began my mental training.
User information, personal details, Yoo Hyun-ah, my brother, Han So-young…
Countless thoughts flitted through my mind, but I cleared them all away. I started to fill my mind with memories of the most miserable moments from the first round, focusing on the demons and their kin.
When Dayeon was killed by them.
When my brother was killed by them.
When Han So-young was killed by them.
As these memories surfaced, I felt something boiling within me. It was a thick, fierce flame—undeniable intent to kill and hatred.
When I opened my eyes again, the first thought that came to mind was:
I want to kill the demons and their kin.
“Ho! Impressive. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human who can control their emotions like this. Especially such intense intent to kill and hatred… These are genuine emotions born from experience, not artificially created. Truly remarkable.”
Ganesha’s voice sounded like praise, but the tone remained unchanged. It was as if she knew I would fail.
“The restrictions only apply when you state your wish. I’m curious if your hatred and intent to kill can surpass your greed. Now, please state your wish.”
Ganesha was right. This hatred and intent to kill were solely directed at the demons and their kin.
Of course, it wasn’t entirely unrelated to my previous wishes. But if any impurity mixed with this pure hatred and intent, I couldn’t be sure how the restrictions would apply.
“I want… in this world.”
In the end, there was only one way. I had to block any chance of impurities mixing in and maintain this emotion as much as possible.
After exhaling the surging energy within me, I steadied my breathing. The longer I thought, the more this emotion, crafted through mental training, could fade.
So, without delay, I stated my wish.
“I want to erase the demons and their kin.”
Pop!
With a small burst of light, I found myself outside. I blinked a couple of times and calmly looked inward.
Whoosh!
The monument briefly glowed yellow before returning to its original gentle green hue. I tilted my head in curiosity.
When I returned to where the clan members were, Helena greeted me with a peculiar smile.
“Congratulations. It’s not a complete success, but you didn’t fail.”
”…How did you know?”
“Because the monument glowed yellow. When a wish is activated, it glows blue. If it doesn’t activate, it glows red. But if it’s neither, it glows yellow. At least it’s better than red.”
“I see.”
As Helena said, my wish was in a state of neither success nor failure.
Still, I was personally satisfied.
Even though the wish didn’t activate, I gained the information I wanted. In other words, whether the wish succeeded or not was up to me. A partial success, you could say.
I nodded slightly and stretched. But before I could gather my thoughts, several clan members rushed over.
“Brother! Brother! How did it go? What wish did you make? Huh?”
Not only Ansol but the other clan members seemed curious, but it was a question I couldn’t answer. I had also made it clear that no one should ask about each other’s wishes, so I gently pushed Ansol away and said,
“It’s a secret. We agreed not to ask each other, remember?”
“Ugh… But still…”
“No ‘but still.’ If I were to give you advice, I’d say it’s best to put your whole heart into your wish.”
“Your whole heart?”
After answering, I clapped my hands a couple of times and spoke up.
“Alright, let’s go in one by one. We can’t stay here forever, can we?”
”…I’ll go next.”
Thankfully, someone responded calmly. It was Cha Sorim.
Cha Sorim gently set down her Arcus spear and walked briskly toward the central monument.
I watched with interest as Cha Sorim knelt slowly before the monument. What kind of wish would she make? Would she succeed?
About three minutes passed since Cha Sorim went in.
“Oh.”
When Cha Sorim’s body began to emerge from the magic circle, I widened my eyes. The monument had emitted a blue light, indicating the wish had been successfully activated.
“Wow!”
“Ooooooh!”
As Cha Sorim returned, the clan members erupted in cheers. However, there was no trace of joy on Cha Sorim’s face. Instead, she looked embarrassed, glancing at me before quickly turning her head away.
I was curious about what wish she made, but since we agreed not to ask, I let it go and encouraged the other clan members to participate.
From then on, things moved quickly. Cha Sorim’s success seemed to be a signal, and the clan members eagerly volunteered.
Starting with Da-eun and ending with Sun Yoo-un, seven people stepped forward almost simultaneously, so I organized them into a sequence. The clan members began entering one by one according to the order.
However, was luck only with me and Cha Sorim?
The results afterward were dismal, to say the least.
No one took more than five minutes. The only ones who even reached five minutes were Woo Jung-min and Shin Jae-ryong.
Yet, in less than twenty minutes, the monument glowed red six times.
Da-eun, Woo Jung-min, Han-na, Shin Jae-ryong, Yoo-jung, Han-gyeol.
Out of the seven who volunteered, six failed in succession.
“Sigh…”
“Sigh…”
Listening to the dejected sighs of the failed clan members, I focused on Sun Yoo-un, who was still inside the monument. Sun Yoo-un, who had just passed the two-minute mark, was slowly rising.
Then, suddenly, he took out his bow and arrow and began to draw the string. What kind of wish was this? With a mix of curiosity and a sliver of hope, I watched the center.
But nothing happened. Sun Yoo-un plucked the bowstring once and then slid out, with the monument glowing red as expected.
As Sun Yoo-un walked over, scratching his head and sighing deeply, I gave him a look of sympathy. Sun Yoo-un clicked his tongue and slung his bow over his shoulder.
“Phew. That goddess Ganesha is quite the challenge.”
“Haha. Is that why you shot the bow? At a god?”
It was a joke, of course. Sun Yoo-un shook his head with a weary expression.
“No, that’s not it. I just asked her to point out any flaws in my archery stance.”
”…What?”
“Since a typical wish didn’t seem possible, I thought if she pointed out any issues, I could use that to somehow improve my user information. So I plucked the bowstring, and…”
“And?”
When I asked, Sun Yoo-un gave a sheepish smile and continued.
“She said she saw enough and told me to leave.”
“Pfft!”
Perhaps because she was nearby, Da-eun let out a short laugh.
“Yoo-un! Hahaha! What kind of wish is that? That’s a total cheat move~.”
”…And what kind of wish did you make, Miss Swordmaster, to be laughing like that?”
“Oh my. That’s a lady’s secret, you know? I’ll never tell. Right, Clan Lord?”
“Ugh… Anyway, a failure is a failure, isn’t it?”
Listening to Da-eun and Sun Yoo-un’s light banter, I turned my attention to the remaining clan members. There were four left: Ansol, Vivian, Heo Jun-young, and Kim Han-byeol.
Among them, I was particularly focused on Ansol and Vivian.
Ansol and Vivian were showing more enthusiasm than ever. They eagerly questioned each returning clan member, their zeal quite a sight to behold. It’s good to see them so motivated, though I wish they were like this all the time.
After grilling Sun Yoo-un with questions, the two swallowed nervously and approached me. Their faces were tense, indicating they had gathered enough information.
“Kim Soo-hyun. I’ll go in now.”
“Brother. I’ll give it a try too.”
Ansol and Vivian spoke simultaneously, then looked at each other.
Their eyes met with a spark.
“I’ll go first!”
Vivian took the initiative. Perhaps feeling a sense of rivalry while gathering information, she turned swiftly without even deciding the order.
“Hey, sis! That’s not fair!”
Ansol cried out in dismay, but Vivian was already halfway there.
But Ansol didn’t just stand by.
Taking a deep breath, Ansol quickly chased after Vivian. While running, she pulled out her staff and aimed it at Vivian’s retreating back.
“Angelus! With your holy power, bind the steps of that wicked one!”
An Angelus hold spell.
The white light shot from the staff hit Vivian’s back with pinpoint accuracy. A perfect clean hit.
Vivian came to an abrupt halt when she was hit with a sudden hold order. Not only did she stop, but she also couldn’t overcome the force of inertia and began rolling across the floor like a runaway wheel.
“Whubububububu!”
Vivian let out a bizarre scream as Ansol zipped past her.
Why are they making such a fuss? It’s not like getting there first increases your chances of success.
“Hey! Ansol! You can’t just—hey, hey!”
Vivian finally managed to steady herself and shouted, but Ansol had already slipped into the central area. Grinding her teeth, Vivian began muttering curses under her breath.
A headache started to throb in my temples, but I took a deep breath and focused on the stone monument. Ansol was already kneeling reverently. Since things had come to this, I decided to wait and see the outcome.
“Hmm…”
The first thirty seconds seemed to go smoothly. Ansol’s face lit up with a pleased smile.
Another thirty seconds passed, and Ansol slowly began to rise. It was faster than I expected. Just as I was about to swallow in anticipation, Ansol’s eyes sparkled, and she nodded.
And then it happened.
Boom!
A faint explosion echoed through the hall.
“What the—?!”
At the same time, Ansol flailed her arms wildly, tracing a graceful arc through the air before crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
Crash!
Ansol came to a stop right next to Vivian, who quickly lifted her head to look ahead. I followed her gaze to the center and saw the stone monument flashing a relentless red light.
Worried something had gone wrong, I shouted, “Helena! What’s happening here?”
“Uh, I’m not sure. It seems like a failure, but I’ve never seen a reaction like this before…”
Helena stammered, clearly as puzzled as I was.
Meanwhile, Ansol, who seemed to be the culprit, sat there with slumped shoulders, not even attempting to get up.
“How could this happen? I was being sincere!”
“Serves you right! That’s what you get for not having a pure heart.”
“What? Do you think you’ll do any better?”
“Blah blah blah, can’t hear you~.”
Vivian, still smarting from Ansol’s earlier antics, plugged her ears and taunted her mercilessly. Then, with a smug grin, she sauntered inside, leaving Ansol biting her lip and pounding the floor in frustration.
Vivian wiped the smirk off her face and looked solemnly at the stone. Kneeling with a determined expression, I couldn’t help but cover my face with my hands. I felt a gentle pat on my back.
And then it happened again.
Just as I was calming myself, ready to deal with the aftermath later.
Boom!
“Aaah!”
Another explosion and scream made me snap my head up. What? It hasn’t even been thirty seconds yet!
I saw Vivian crash down next to Ansol and turned my gaze to the center. The stone monument was flashing an angry red light, as if it were furious.
Unable to hold back, I shouted, “What on earth did you two do?!”
And at that moment, a voice rumbled through the air.
The voice trembled with anger, echoing around us. Though the tone was different, it was unmistakably Ganesha’s voice.
Ansol and Vivian scrambled to their feet, looking like deer caught in headlights.
Ganesha’s voice, now filled with rage, boomed through the hall, starkly different from when addressing me.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
ㅇ<-<.