Episode 1090
Chapter 255: The Death of Keliak Ziphl, and Then… (7)

“I really hope it’s true. Not just a dream, but that Lady Elona is still inside that monster, somehow.”

“She is,” Veraadin replied firmly.

“Neither Lady Elona nor I will ever be forgiven, no matter what happens. But sometimes, thanks to our comrades, I find a comfort I don’t deserve. They know that neither her soul nor mine has ever been corrupted.”

Jin gently patted Veraadin’s shoulder, who had lowered his head. Simply by being born a Ziphl, they were doomed to be seen as sinners—both he and Elona. Even now, as they fought for the alliance.

“I shouldn’t be dwelling on such gloomy thoughts. Hah. Have you decided what to do next, before we find the enemy?”

“I’m still trying to get a grip on things. For now, I’m waiting for Valeria and Lord Luet’s analysis of the records, and planning to meet with the witch.”

Only with his closest friends and comrades could Jin admit to feeling lost, even as the leader of the alliance.

The entire world now trembled in fear of the Demon Realm and Malugia. With the empire destroyed overnight, there was no safe place left anywhere.

The number of refugees fleeing to the Balmel Alliance’s territory was noticeably dwindling.

It wasn’t because the appearance of the 33rd-dimensional Keliak had shifted the tide in favor of the Ziphl. Ordinary people simply felt that nothing mattered anymore.

Despair and hopelessness sank the world into an unprecedented lethargy. The hope placed in the Balmel Alliance was slowly fading.

“But even meeting the witch means waiting. Damn it, it’s hard to take any initiative these days.”

“Afraid that if you move recklessly, the enemy will suddenly reappear and turn the world into a wasteland again?”

“Exactly. It feels like we’re being dragged along from the start. There’s no opening to dig into.”

“Jin.”

This time, Veraadin patted Jin’s shoulder.

“Make a bold decision. I know the pressure of bearing the lives of the entire world weighs on you, but if you stay frozen, nothing will move forward.”

“…Understood.”

“There’s no future in being dragged around. And even if we lose and the world ends, it won’t be your fault.”

“Lord Veraadin is right.”

“What’s this, Dante? Why are you back so soon?”

Jin and Veraadin turned to look at Dante, whose face was clean as if he had just washed up.

“You said I just needed a moment alone, but when I was alone, my thoughts kept turning dark. I am a failed ruler. The empire’s fall is my fault. But you’re not a ruler, Jin. Even if you lose, it’s not your responsibility.”

Because he’s a time traveler, it’s my burden alone.

Jin recalled Valeria’s warning and couldn’t bring himself to share that truth with his friends. Still, he found strange comfort in Dante and Veraadin’s words.

“Jin, I vaguely know your secret.”

Jin’s eyes widened.

—“You bear no fault,” he said. “That’s what I was told, for both you and me. We did well enough. Perhaps we couldn’t have done better. There’s only unavoidable sorrow. So it’s best to forget all that hasn’t happened yet.”

Those were Dante’s words when they mourned Ron’s death after the Battle of the Black Emperor Star.

That day, Dante had received Ron’s will and had a faint understanding of Jin’s time travel. Jin met Dante’s gaze, recalling that moment.

“Huh? A secret? Is it just between you two?”

“The Battle of the Black Emperor Star—though the enemies are stronger now, the essence remains the same. There are just things we can’t avoid. So move forward. If you can see ahead, we can too.”

“Can you tell me too?”

“To be honest, I don’t really know. There’s no secret, Lord Veraadin. I just wanted to comfort Jin.”

“Ah… I see.”

Veraadin couldn’t press Dante further. He understood the weight on Dante’s heart, standing there after hearing the empire had fallen.

For Veraadin, it was enough that Dante was still holding on.

“Right… I have to look ahead.”

Just as Jin said this, his communicator suddenly buzzed.

{Lord Jin.}

“Your Majesty, please speak.”

{Lokia Ganesto has arrived in Tikan. According to Lord Ameris, it’s a clone. She wishes to meet with you and Lady Lucy.}

“I’m on my way.”

Jin immediately mounted his crimson owl and returned to Tikan. His comrades waited in the garden, refusing to let Lokia into the palace.

“Ah, you’re here, descendant.”

“You’re still a sinner, Lokia Ganesto. You wouldn’t dare come here in your true form.”

Lokia smiled as she pulled back her hood.

The face beneath was the one Jin recognized—not Haelin Runkandel’s, but Lokia Ganesto’s own, as recorded a thousand years ago.

“Who in their right mind would come here in their true form? I’m tired of being treated like a sinner by people who don’t even understand what’s going on.”

“You’re furious. Strange how sensitive you are. The appearance of the Demon Realm’s leader and Malugia wasn’t part of your plan, was it?”

Lokia looked at Jin.

The arrival of Keliak and Malugia had indeed frustrated her. She had known she couldn’t fully control Malugia, but she never expected her to summon the Demon Realm so quickly.

“I can’t deny it. Yes, the Demon Realm’s leader and Malugia clashed too soon. And if Malugia falls, this world will be erased by the Demon Realm.”

“Because the Sun God’s full resurrection would be impossible if Malugia dies?”

“Exactly. Just as Kinzel and the others predicted with their crude dream powers. Keliak was gravely wounded in this battle. He’ll recover soon, but now he’ll try to kill Malugia. He must have realized after nearly dying that Malugia in this world can’t be captured alive.”

If Malugia disappears, Kinzel’s resurrection ends. The Demon Realm has no reason to keep this dimension.

“Of course, since Malugia also damaged the Demon Realm’s strongholds, the erasure won’t be as quick as before. But with the Sun God’s resurrection goal gone…”

“Lokia, you speak as if you know the Demon Realm’s leader well.”

A sneer curled on Jin’s lips as he interrupted.

“The one I faced tolerates no mistakes. And if the Sun God’s resurrection is the Demon Realm’s goal, it’s more desperate than ever now. Since their strongholds were hit, they’ll need a way to recover. I can’t agree that they’ll give up on Malugia. Besides, this isn’t the time for us to be having this conversation.”

“Surprising, descendant. I thought you’d be willing to hear anything to save the world—even if it’s information from me.”

“Either way, you’re just trying to use us. Is that all you came for? To tell us Keliak will kill Malugia and erase this world? Then get lost.”

Lokia shrugged and looked at Jin.

“No, I have another purpose. I want to make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Ah, here she comes.”

Lucy was approaching the garden, having left the palace late to control her anger toward Lokia.

“Lokia Ganesto…”

“You blame me, Lucy. But your daughter, Haelin, came to me on her own. And I’m here to return the daughter you failed to keep safe.”

“…What?”

“Let me be blunt. Haelin Runkandel, your daughter, is still alive. I’m separating the power of Araksion from her body. I’ll give Haelin back if you bring me Temar’s left arm.”

Lucy’s eyes trembled.

She was more shaken than ever. Lokia pulled out a crystal orb as if to drive the point home. Inside, Haelin appeared asleep.

Haelin had left Lucy’s side when she was eight. Though the Haelin in the orb looked like she was in her twenties, Lucy immediately recognized her daughter.

“Ha-Haelin…”

“She’s in a deep sleep while I separate Araksion’s power. Once it’s done, she’ll return to being an ordinary human. Surely your living daughter isn’t worth less than the left arm of a dead lover?”

As Lucy trembled in shock, Jin sensed Lokia was on the defensive.

‘Solderet’s arrangement. Lokia is fixated on that arrangement in the Black Sea. Since the situation has gone beyond her calculations, she must hurry to reach it. Temar’s left arm is definitely key to that.’

Until recently, when he confirmed Keliak and Lokia’s deal through Pirops and Ainas’s dream powers, Jin hadn’t known the true meaning of Temar’s left arm.

Now, a strong intuition told him that arm was essential to reaching the arrangement.

Therefore, he had to refuse the deal. It would deeply wound Lucy, but there was no choice.

Just as Jin was about to call out to Lucy, she shook her head first.

“…I refuse.”

“What did you say?”

Lokia’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that Lucy would reject the deal.

“Have you forgotten? Lokia Ganesto. Haelin, no matter what that child truly was, to Temar and me, that child was just like everyone else back then—a member of Runcandel. Whether you save them or kill them, do as you please. If that child was weak and became a burden to the family, I was always ready to turn my back.”