00965 If You Change, One.
The war was over.
Or rather, I should say I had only just set one foot on the final stretch of my fifteen years of user activity on the Whole Plane.
The important thing was that it was still too soon to call it a full stop or a period. Many thoughts flashed through my mind at once, but first, I ordered a thorough cleanup of the battlefield.
Suna had neatly handled the demon legion, and I personally took care of the users on the western and southern continents.
More than that, I focused on rooting out the remnants of the Great Demons. I repeatedly confirmed the annihilation of Lilith, Satan, and Astaroth, while also tracking down the whereabouts of the unseen Asmodeus. It turned out Asmodeus had been swept away along with Suna as she cleared the skies.
Eldora had fallen silent, no longer wailing. Seeing her collapsed and unconscious, I almost considered beheading her, but decided to take her prisoner instead. Vivian had earnestly requested to use her for research, having heard rumors that Eldora had once been resurrected.
In truth, with Thanatos gone, Eldora—who had sustained her life through fragments of death—was bound to die soon. But I told them to do as they wished. After all, her corpse still held some value.
After meticulously confirming Thanatos’s extinction, I finally turned my attention to the Soul Legion. I remembered the promise we had made in the mountain range where the dragon sleeps.
After exchanging light greetings and expressing gratitude for their rescue cooperation, I explained everything I knew about Helena: what curse Magna Carta had cast after the final war, and the choices Helena had made then. Of course, I didn’t forget what happened after the dragon’s slumber.
“Hmm… I see. So that’s why Helena…”
When I finished my explanation, the man’s soul nodded gravely. His expression was more complex than relieved. Watching him for a moment, I cautiously spoke.
“If you wish, I can arrange a meeting with her right here.”
“Eh? But I heard she was annihilated back then…”
“It wasn’t a complete annihilation. To be precise, her existence became nourishment to restore her power. I’ve heard she survived alongside Magna Carta in Hell.”
“Hell…”
A flicker of conflict crossed the man’s face. I quietly waited for his decision. If he truly wanted, I could ask Gehenna or Suna to arrange a meeting.
“No.”
But—
“Thank you for the offer, but I must decline.”
Unexpectedly, he refused firmly.
“I understand the suffocation and concern for humanity she must have felt as the one cursed. And the complicated feelings she must have had seeing us rejoice in victory… I don’t say I can’t understand that.”
His voice still carried bitterness.
“But if it were me, I would have revealed the truth without a shred of hesitation. Not just me, but all my comrades would have put our heads together to find a way. Because we were comrades who risked our lives fighting side by side.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Regardless of the circumstances, Helena’s unilateral decision was clearly wrong. So while I can understand it, I cannot forgive it. Falling into Hell might be her path to atonement, in its own way.”
“…”
Hearing him say all that, I couldn’t bring myself to mention that she had been resurrected as Suna’s plaything. I smiled wryly, and he caught himself, giving an awkward smile.
“Ah… well, I’m no saint either. Haha. Disappointed?”
“No, I understand perfectly.”
I shook my head and quietly stepped back. His eyes flickered with a strange light. He must have understood what I meant.
“Well then…”
“Thank you once again for saving me.”
“I didn’t do much. I’m just glad I could repay a little of the favor.”
“And… thank you for all your hard work.”
At that moment, a dazed look crossed the man’s face. But he kept smiling and spoke softly.
“That phrase…”
His voice was light, tinged with a bittersweet relief.
“Honestly… I might have wanted to hear those words—‘thank you for your hard work’—for a long time.”
Then, slowly, he looked up at the sky and gently closed his eyes. It was as if he was shaking off something heavy. Watching quietly, I felt nothing but the urge to let him be.
A moment later—
The sunlight suddenly grew dazzlingly bright.
“Ah!”
With Ansol’s exclamation, the man’s soul began to fade. Like a spray of white particles scattering in the air, shimmering dust drifted apart.
—Thank you…
Leaving those final words behind, the sparkling specks slowly floated upward into the sky. Whatever had bound him to this world was now gone, and he was surely returning to where he belonged.
“What a magnificent sight.”
My brother, watching beside me, murmured softly. I nodded in agreement. It was like the earth was snowing light into the sky.
“Hopefully… he’s gone to a good place.”
Ansol, eyes glistening, spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. I didn’t answer but gently stroked the crown of his head.
Amidst the world sparkling with light,
“Well, I think it’s about time we head back.”
My brother turned to me, his face noticeably lighter.
“…Yeah.”
I tossed the Zero Code I’d been gripping tightly without meaning, then snatched it back firmly. Then I said,
“Let’s go home.”
There was still work to be done. Though with the power I’d gained, I wasn’t sure there was much to hold me back anymore.
I gazed quietly at the Temple of Promise, then turned away without hesitation.
“…”
For now, I should return too.
To where I truly belong.
The journey back took less than a minute. No, not even ten seconds. The warp gate had been reactivated at the source, so as soon as I stepped through the portal, I caught sight of the familiar Atlanta skyline I’d longed for.
Everything was just as it had been.
The bustling warp gate, the streets alive with the scent of people, the towering white temple piercing the sky, and the Mercenary Castle.
Seeing the city like that, all my tension suddenly melted away. As it did, the fatigue I’d been suppressing crashed over me like a tidal wave.
To be honest, I had no clear plan of what to do next.
But the weary me expressed a simple desire: I just wanted to rest. I wasn’t on the brink of death, but my stamina had been drained during captivity and the recent battle. No matter how divine the power I wielded, my body was still human and needed rest.
As the one responsible for bringing things to this point, I felt a twinge of irresponsibility. But my brother and everyone else understood my request. Though there were many things to say and hear, the mood was to take a step back for now. I felt the same. Rest and recovery came first.
So I headed straight to the Mercenary Castle and collapsed into bed without even admiring my old office.
Then—
Knock, knock.
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes slightly,
“…”
Darkness enveloped the surroundings.
Knock, knock.
The sound came again. It was a knock, faint enough to be missed if I wasn’t paying close attention.
I stared blankly at the door, then summoned strength into my heavy, cotton-like limbs. As I did, I felt the softness of the bed beneath me and a dizzy haze in my head. My blurry vision sharpened. Waking up felt surprisingly pleasant.
When I returned, the sun had been high in the sky. Assuming it was around noon, I must have slept at least half a day, maybe twice that. So it was likely past night and into early dawn.
Knock, knock.
Alright. I’d had enough sleep. Whoever it was knocking at this late hour, I’d let them in.
Just as I forced my body off the bed—
Click.
The door quietly opened. Startled, I turned my eyes to see a dark silhouette in a white coat slipping inside. My vision was still hazy, but her long hair told me she was a woman.
Did she not know I was awake? She moved silently, closing the distance without hesitation. The warm air and fragrant scent told me she had just bathed.
Then—
“Mercenary Lord…?”
I snapped fully awake.
Author’s Note:
Actually, I requested a revision of Kim Soo-hyun’s face just before completion.
The original version had stronger shading, a slightly angry expression, and made him look older.
But I insisted on a colder concept and asked for changes to the face, which resulted in a distinctly different impression.
Looking at readers’ reactions, I now regret not sticking with the illustrator’s original version. ^^;
Anyway, there are only about three or four episodes left in Episode 1.
I’ll do my best to keep going.