Elze went to see Ilwooz to resolve the Queen's request, but he was not there.
“Ilwooz has gone out.”
One of the servants informed Elze of Ilwooz's departure.
Ilwooz went out to meet believers within the Targayel Empire. He met believers, preached doctrines, and used divine powers to heal the sick. As Ilwooz's activities became known, the believers of Ines began to gather in the Targayel Empire to meet Ilwooz.
Since it was beneficial to the Empire in many ways, Targayel actively supported such Ilwooz.
But it seemed like he had to set off now of all times.
“He left early in the morning, so he’ll probably be back soon.”
At the servant's words, Elze decided to wait for him. The room prepared for Ilwooz had a bedroom, a living room, and a small study. Elze sat in the living room and waited for Ilwooz.
Ryeo Hyeon’s request was to decipher the book left behind by the founding Queen. Elze had never seen Ryeo’s documents, so she didn’t know, but Ryeo’s writing system had changed a lot over the years. As a result, the writing system of the ancient language and the modern Ryeo language was completely different, with only the form remaining vague.
The book left behind by the founding Queen was an ancient language, so even though many scholars of Ryeo tried to interpret it, they could not. Of course, the closest thing to Korean that Elze knew was an ancient language.
Elze took out what she had received from Hyeon. The book, wrapped in a beautiful black silk, was very old but was in good condition.
A faint sense of divine power was felt in the book. Hyeon said that he had asked Ilwooz to protect the book with divine power.
In fact, Ilwooz had the wisdom of a thousand years intact, so he could also interpret Ryeo's ancient language. However, Ilwooz did not decipher the book even after Hyeon's earnest request.
"I've asked Ilwooz several times to decipher it, but he never listened. But I can't just let our important national treasure rot away like this..."
So Hyeon ended up asking Elze for help.
Elze readily accepted Hyeon's request. However, after accepting, she began to worry. There must have been a reason why Ilwooz had refused, but she was worried that if she read it without permission, something would go wrong. It seemed like it would be better to ask Ilwooz first and then read the book.
As Elze was looking through the books, she noticed neat letters written on the front cover. There were three letters written in small letters.
[Diary]
The moment she saw that word, she suddenly felt a strong attraction.
“..."
Somehow, she felt like she had to read this book right now. Elze opened the book as if by conditioned reflex. And the moment she read the first word, Elze's eyes widened. She felt as if someone had hit her head and she became dazed.
[Pain.]
The letters, written in shaky handwriting, were full of despair. Elze moved her eyes to the next line.
[I want to go back. I want to go back to Korea. Mom, Dad... I miss you...]
Goosebumps ran through her body. Elze flipped through the paper as if in a trance. The next page opened. There was a frustrated note written on it.
[I heard the whole truth from Ilwooz today. Why was I dragged into this world?]
[Savior...? I am not a savior. Why do I exist here?]
[I can't sleep. I can't cry. I just want to die.]
The book left behind by the founding Queen was none other than her diary. And the diary was filled with nothing but pessimistic content. Elze quickly turned the pages and began to read.
[I begged to be sent home. But I couldn't go back. Ilwooz used up all his divine power to bring me back.]
[Ilwooz said that my existence in Korea has disappeared. Even if I go back, no one there will remember me...]
[He asked for my forgiveness, but I couldn't forgive him. But I couldn't blame him either. Ilwooz was only trying to save the continent.]
Elze's head was spinning. She had heard the story of the founding Queen of Ryeo in detail from Ilwooz before. She was from Korea, just like Elze. She was probably from the same era as Elze.
Even though the history of the Kingdom of Ryeo spans hundreds of years, there was a reason why its founding Queen was a contemporary of Elze.
It was because space and time were distorted as they crossed dimensions. Elze and the Queen were from the same era in Korea, but on the continent, they lived in a different era for several hundred years.
She was not a savior. However, the Queen lived on the continent and established the kingdom of Ryeo. From this point on, the Queen of Ryeo became friends with Ilwooz for generations, that was all Elze knew.
But there was also a tragedy hidden in that short story that was not revealed. Unlike Elze, the Founding Queen had not forgotten her memories of her past life and had them intact. Because of this, she was unable to adapt to the continent and suffered.
Her diary was filled with desperate pain and suffering. Her mental breakdown was clearly visible. Some pages were filled with nothing but words about wanting to die. Other pages even contained descriptions of attempted suicide.
[I tried to die today. But I couldn't.]
She was afraid to turn the next page. Elze turned the page with trembling fingers.
[Ilwooz burst into tears. He cried like a child and begged me for my wrongdoing. I suddenly came to my senses as I saw him kneeling, sobbing, and hitting his head on the floor.]
[I was just running away like an idiot. My life wasn't over yet, but I was sentencing myself to death.]
[I watched the sunrise with Ilwooz. He asked me what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to establish a country. Ilwooz seriously discussed the plan.]
[At that time, I laughed in front of Ilwooz and said it was a joke. But when I turned around, I thought, “Is it really necessary to joke?” Why can’t it be serious?]
But what is truly fortunate is that as the diary progresses, her mind begins to change little by little. The Queen gradually finds stability.
[Accept. I have decided to accept this world, this continent. Ilwooz promised to help me with all his might.]
[Just because I'm not the savior doesn't mean my life is lost. I can't just wallow in despair any longer.]
[I will change.]
Elze's heart, which had been pounding hard, began to calm down little by little. The last few pages of her diary were filled with hopeful content.
[A little... I think this place is getting better. Ilwooz is a friend I can share my feelings with.]
[I decided to go on a trip. As always, new challenges and changes are scary.]
[When I come back, many things will have changed. Me, and those around me... Since it has come to this, I decided to have big ambitions.]
The last line of the chapter was filled with a single sentence, written with emphasis and clarity.
[I will establish my kingdom.]
That was the end of the diary.
And just as Elze was closing the last chapter, Ilwooz came into the room.
“Elze...?”
“!!”
Elze was startled. She was so focused on the diary that she didn't even notice Ilwooz's presence. And Elze... couldn't greet him warmly.
Ilwooz tilted his head in puzzlement at Elze's unusual reaction. But soon he discovered what Elze was holding in her hand.
"That..."
Ilwooz's face clouded. Elze could tell from that look. Ilwooz knew what it was, what it was about.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz has a thousand-year soul. The Ilwooz of today and the Ilwooz of the time of the founding Queen of Ryeo are different people. However, they were also the same person. Elze said, clutching the diary tightly in her hand.
“I’ve read them all.”
“...”
Ilwooz's gaze was directed to the floor. Elze calmly opened her mouth to Ilwooz, who was unable to even raise his head properly and remained silent.
“The founding Queen of Ryeo came from a different world just like me, but she had memories.”
“...”
“Is there something you’re hiding from me?”
Elze looked straight at Ilwooz and spoke urgently.
“Be honest with me, Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz couldn't open his mouth easily. He hesitated and hesitated again. The story he was about to tell was that heavy. And after a long period of silence and hesitation, Ilwooz spoke.
“I erased the Savior’s memories... Memories of your past life..."
Elze couldn't say anything. She just stared blankly at Ilwooz. Ilwooz avoided Elze's gaze. He muttered with a face full of shame.
“As you can see... Queen Ryeo, the founding Queen, suffered greatly from memories of her past life...”
“...”
“It was even more so because not only her soul but also her body was transferred...”
The founding Queen of Ryeo moved her body and soul to the continent intact. As a result, her memories were intact. She longed for her hometown and suffered for a long time as she wandered around the continent, unable to adapt.
Ilwooz learned his lesson from his first failure, and was much more careful and used different methods when bringing Elze back.
First, only the souls were transferred and reborn on the continent. Then, the memories of their previous lives were gradually erased so that they would not have any longing. This was to ensure that they all adapted to the continent.
Thanks to this, Elze gradually forgot her memories of Korea. In particular, she completely forgot her memories of herself. The few things she could remember were small memories like Korean, green tea, and pottery. These were all things she could recall thanks to the Kingdom of Ryeo.
Ilwooz took a deep breath and exhaled, revealing the details.
“It was for the good of the continent... I am just sorry to Lady Elze.. .”
He muttered, holding his trembling hands together.
“You can criticize me... I will gladly accept any criticism...”
But who can blame him?
Just as the Founding Queen resented Ilwooz but could not criticize him, Elze was the same. Ilwooz simply did the best she could. If Elze had retained her memories of her past life, she might have wandered around the continent like the Founding Queen of Ryeo, unable to adapt to it.
That doesn't mean that Ilwooz did a good job. He erased Elze's memories without asking for her permission. Elze was wondering how to react. Ilwooz cautiously called out to Elze.
“Savior... No, Lady Elze...”
Ilwooz fiddled with the string that covered his eyes.
“The me now has incomparable strength compared to before... So...”
He whispered in a voice more hazy than ever.
“If the millennium passes and the devil’s evil is no longer manifested... I can send you back to where Elze came from...”
Ilwooz spoke the word carefully.
“To Korea...”
Ilwooz knew that he shouldn't send Elze back. The moment he uttered the words, a hundred reasons why he shouldn't send her back came to mind.
Even if Shan Cirxus had not manifested his evilness by the millennium, he did not know how the situation would change the moment Elze, the savior, left. However, Ilwooz did not take back his words.
“...”
In his long life, Ilwooz has met countless people. Of course, he doesn't remember all of them. But he does remember some people clearly. And there was a woman that Ilwooz couldn't forget even after hundreds of years.
The founding Queen of Ryeo.
She was a Queen who left a great mark on history, but behind her were countless tragedies that old history books could not contain.
The Queen desperately wanted to return home. Ilwooz was frustrated by her suffering and not being able to adapt to the continent. He felt the horror of what he had done and tried to send her back by any means necessary.
But it was impossible. At that time, Ilwooz had no power. He had poured all his strength into bringing her to the continent, so he had not been able to use his divine power for almost several years. But now that he thought about it, it was not just the overuse of power that prevented him from using his divine power.
Ilwooz's guilt towards her.
That was also one of the reasons why Ilwooz was unable to exert his power. Even after hundreds of years, her tears and despair were still vivid. That's how deeply the events of that time were engraved in Ilwooz's soul. And from the moment he saw Elze holding the founding Queen's diary in her hand, Ilwooz thought.
This time, I really want to give her a choice...
“Ilwooz. If I go back, who will stop the devil?”
Ilwooz answered Elze's question calmly.
“Ines said that the millennium is when evil will reach its peak. So if only that time passes, I might be able to do something about it.”
Ilwooz tried to explain with as little eloquence as possible so that Elze would not feel burdened by the choice.
“If Lady Elze says she wants to go back, I will use any means necessary to get there.”
Elze quietly called his name.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz waited for Elze's words with a trembling heart. However, what Elze said was not a choice.
“Aren’t you being too arbitrary?”
Elze's words startled Ilwooz. Elze smiled at him and said.
“When did you bring me here, and now you’re sending me away...”
The tone was relaxed, but there was a seriousness to it. Elze made her intentions clear to Ilwooz.
“A past life is just a past life. My life there was completely finished, and the people I love now are here.”
And she said to Ilwooz.
“Right now, it looks like Ilwooz is reaching out to me simply because you feel guilty.”
“...!!”
Elze's words were simple, but they cut to the heart of the matter.
Only then did Ilwooz look back on what he had said. It was a very impulsive, shallow self-consolation that he had said out of a desire to atone for her. Shame washed over him. Ilwooz finally admitted it honestly.
“Elze is right...”
His face flushed. He was always treated as Ilwooz, and he thought that he was at least behaving in a way that lived up to that name. But it wasn't. Every time he stood in front of Elze, Ilwooz felt infinitely inadequate.
Elze sighed and smiled slightly. Then she spoke soothingly.
“You don’t have to feel so guilty. Have you read her diary by any chance?”
Ilwooz shook his head. He didn't dare to read it, so he didn't even turn a single page.
“I think she liked you a lot.”
At Elze's words, Ilwooz opened his mouth. As Ilwooz tried to deny it, Elze handed him the diary.
“Read it.”
“...”
“I will return the book to the Queen myself. I will tell her that I cannot decipher it. And...”
Elze smiled faintly and said to him.
“Let’s pretend today never happened, Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz was handed a diary. Although she couldn't see it because his eyes were covered with a string, Elze had a feeling that he might be crying.
Elze left Ilwooz behind, quietly closed the door, and stepped out of the room. As the door clicked shut, Elze stepped out into the hallway and tilted her head for a moment.
“...?”
It was because something felt strange. But the empty hallway was just quiet. Elze frowned for a moment and then started walking again.
After a busy day, Elze entered the bedroom. She expected that he would be working, but for some reason, Shan was waiting for her.
“Shan, what’s the matter? Are you off today?”
At Elze's questioning voice, Shan nodded slightly and said.
“There must be days when I spend time with you.”
Shan's expression was a little suspicious as he nodded. Shan sat on the bed and tapped his hand next to him. Elze sat down next to Shan, wondering why he was doing this. And Shan said.
“I told you I’d tell you a secret.”
It seemed like he had been waiting to hear that. It was a shame to not tell the story when she was being asked this much. Elze brought up the story she had kept hidden.
“I have memories of my past life.”
The story that her previous life was not on the continent but in another world and that she came here as a savior was simple yet complicated. It may have been even more so because the story itself was hard to believe. Elze tried to explain it to him in as much detail as possible. And Shan's answer to the words she had painfully confessed was very simple.
“I see.”
Rather, he went even further and rebuked Elze.
“You’re the one who’s really bothering me with something like that? That’s too much, Elze.”
“No, that’s just it!”
Elze opened her eyes wide and spoke to Shan quickly.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous. If I go and tell someone about it, they’ll probably treat me like I’m crazy...”
"Ha?"
But before Elze could finish speaking, Shan cut her off. He looked at Elze with a face that asked what she was talking about and asked her again.
“So you thought I wouldn’t believe you?”
"That..."
“Elze.”
Elze flinched at Shan's soft call of her name. There was a reproach in his voice. Shan looked into Elze's eyes and said.
“There are demons that could destroy the continent, so how could I be surprised by something like that?”
He whispered as he hugged Elze.
“I would have believed you if you told me you were an angel.”
Shan then felt Elze's shoulder blade with his hand. Elze twisted her body as his hands gently caressed the protruding bone. It was so ticklish that she couldn't stand it. Shan held onto Elze, who was squirming. He said, lightly licking the back of her neck.
“If you have hidden your wings, you can take them out now.”
“Ugh!”
It was as if she really believed she had wings. Elze was startled and pushed Shan away. However, Shan, instead of being pushed away, clung to her even more. Elze ended up lying down on the bed. Elze, trapped in Shan’s arms, looked up at Shan and muttered.
“You, I always think this, are really shameless. Shameless...”
Shan giggled at Elze's reaction. Elze took advantage of Shan's laughter to surprise him by flipping over. Then she quickly escaped. However, Shan's hand wrapped around Elze's waist. Elze was dragged by Shan again.
“Didn’t I tell you that it’s My instinct to chase after someone who runs away?”
Shan hugged Elze tightly from behind. His wide arms wrapped around Elze without any gaps.
“I don’t care what you are. An angel, or someone from another world.”
He said, touching his shoulder blade again.
“As long as it doesn’t fly away into the sky.”
At this rate, he would be hearing angelic voices all day long. Elze turned her body back. Then, she pressed her forehead against his and muttered softly.
“I was wrong. Let’s stop talking about angels.”
Shan grinned at Elze's surrender. Elze and Shan looked at each other and giggled for a moment. Elze thought as she laughed along with him.
Why did you hide it? Shan accepts it so nonchalantly...
She's been needlessly making Shan anxious up until now. When she looked at Shan with a feeling of apology, he frowned slightly.
“But what makes me feel uneasy is that I’m a little angry.”
Shan's fingers pressed hard against Elze's lips.
“You’re hiding that reason because you don’t trust me. Huh?”
"Sorry..."
Shan said briefly in response to Elze's apology.
"Kiss."
Elze lightly kissed Shan on the lips. But Shan was not satisfied. He narrowed his eyes and spoke again.
“More intensely.”
The request was short and simple. But it was much more difficult. How could she make the kiss more intense? Elze licked her lips, thinking about it.
But the movement of the tongue that flickered seemed to be unsatisfactory. Shan raised one eyebrow. At his expression of dissatisfaction, Elze licked more vigorously. And Shan snickered.
“Ugh...”
Elze looked at him with eyes that asked for help. Shan’s hand ran down her back. The other hand pulled her shoulder tightly.
Their lips met and pressed gently. The strong teeth scratched and bit lightly, and then the tongue dug in. A soft yet warm sensation swept over the roof of her mouth.
Her eyes were dizzy. A tingling sensation rose up near her lower abdomen. Elze unconsciously shook her waist. The hand that had been caressing her back slowly moved down. He whispered softly.
“...Let’s just take it easy.”
The tips of his fingers touched a little deeper. His long, strong fingers brushed against her thighs and dug in between them.
“I won’t do it till the end...”
How could she refuse such a Shan? Elze’s body was already heated up by the heat. As she slowly nodded, a smile spread across Shan’s lips.
Elze felt that his smile seemed meaningful today.
“...Elze?”
Shan tried to call Elze cautiously, but all he could hear was her raspy breathing.
Once Elze fell asleep, she was a deep sleeper. Unless she was dying, there was no reason for her to wake up. After confirming that Elze was asleep, Shan slowly got up. Then, he carefully went out of the bedroom.
“...”
The moment the door closed, Shan's energy completely changed. Anger flashed across Shan's eyes.
“That kid...”
Shan, who was about to utter crude words, stopped. He walked quickly, fearing that Elze in the bedroom might hear him. He encountered a few employees on the way, but Shan’s fierce aura made them unable to speak properly and they ended up getting crushed.
The place Shan headed to was Ilwooz's room.
Elze and Ilwooz didn't know it, but Shan was listening to their conversation from the hallway.
Ever since Elze said she was going to meet Ilwooz, Shan had been curious about what the two of them would talk about. He had a constant feeling of unease about what Elze was hiding.
Shan hesitated for a while, then heard a report that Ilwooz had returned home and finally went to Ilwooz's room.
When Shan arrived, Ilwooz had already gone into the room. Shan leaned against the hallway and eavesdropped on their conversation.
It was easy for Shan to hear the conversation in the room. He concentrated his energy while keeping quiet, and he could hear the conversation little by little.
It was a difficult subject for Shan to understand. However, even though he didn't know how everything was going to work, he was able to figure out one thing right away.
"I can send you back to where you came from, Elze..."
Ilwooz was trying to separate Elze from Shan.
Of course, Elze seemed to have firmly refused, but the mere attempt was enough to make Shan angry. Shan, who was walking quickly, chuckled to himself. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it became. To think that he was doing this behind his back...
Shan suppressed his rising anger and headed to Ilwooz's room. Then he ran into the person he was looking for in the hallway.
Ilwooz was holding something wrapped in silk in his hand. It seemed to be the diary in question. Ilwooz quietly called Shan's name.
“Lord Cirxus...”
And Shan called him roughly.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz's face hardened slightly at the energy he felt from Shan. When he didn't answer, Shan smiled crookedly and asked him a question.
“Do you have anything to say to me?”
Ilwooz looked at Shan for a moment without saying anything. He examined Shan carefully as if he was exploring him. Then he spoke softly.
"No..."
The moment Shan heard that, he couldn't help but laugh. Elza wouldn't be here either, his thoughts kept getting worse.
If it were up to him, Shan would grab that sloppy bastard by the collar right now. And wring his neck. So that he would never say anything nonsense again. His hands twitched in response to the urge. A seductive whisper came from deep inside him.
"Kill him."
How sweet were these words? The sound was so tempting that Shan felt a brief thrill.
But there was still a little patience left. This much could be tolerated. Shan decided to give Ilwooz a chance.
“I know what you and Elze talked about today.”
“...”
“Did you try to send her away without me?”
He could sense the agitation in Ilwooz. He asked back in a puzzled voice.
“How did you know...?”
The faint voice seemed as if it would break apart at any moment. It was so delicate that it seemed as if it would tear apart if you dug into it even a little.
Shan knew what to say and how to act to shatter him. The temptation to lie was creeping up on Shan.
But since Elze was involved, he couldn't just lie. Sadly, Shan resisted the temptation and told the truth.
“I overheard.”
It was a very confident confession. It was so honest that Ilwooz was even more embarrassed.
"That..."
"So."
Shan cut off Ilwooz's words and asked again.
“Why did you try to take Elze away from me, Master Ilwooz?”
Ilwooz quietly grabbed the book in his hand. Shan took a step closer to him. Then he looked down at Ilwooz with a commanding gaze.
An invisible energy passed between the two. An eerie feeling that would have made a normal person burst into tears already settled over them.
But Ilwooz was not a pope for nothing. He withstood Shan's aura. Ilwooz opened his mouth in a suppressed voice.
“I didn’t mean to separate you...”
He seemed a little uncomfortable, but eventually, he untied the string that bound his eyes. As his power was released, divine power surged out. Ilwooz met Shan’s gaze with his rainbow-colored eyes. He opened his mouth with a much more relaxed and clear voice.
“I just gave her, Elze, a chance to choose.”
And Shan's smile grew even brighter.
“It’s a choice.”
A faint laughter flowed out. Shan took a step closer to Ilwooz.
“Even if she wanted to go back, wouldn’t you have to stop her?”
Now, the distance between Shan and Ilwooz was less than two paces. Shan raised his chin and spoke sarcastically.
“What would you do if I really turned into a devil?”
At Shan's words, Ilwooz tightly held the book in his hand. Then he spoke solemnly.
“...I will stop you.”
“Do you really think you can stop me?”
Shan answered leisurely, crossing his arms.
“I guess a thousand years have been wasted.”
A deep darkness shone in his eyes. Shan spoke slowly as if he were talking to a child.
“You can do a lot of bad things without necessarily turning into something like a devil. Whatever Ilwooz predicts... I can create an even worse tragedy, that’s what I’m saying.”
Shan could see Ilwooz's eyes shaking. It seemed like he hadn't expected this to happen.
Shan could have let her go if Elze wanted it if it was for Elze's sake. However, the premise of their separation was always 'Elze'.
If it wasn't her own decision, he couldn't accept it. Especially if it was someone gently coaxing her out of the breakup like this...
Just thinking about it made Shan feel hot. Suddenly, his emotions started to get intense. Once again, he felt the urge to kill Ilwooz.
But he had to endure it. It was a truly sad reality, a regrettable tragedy. So Shan smiled. It was to hide his true feelings. However, even though his lips were smiling, his eyes were filled with a vivid murderous look that anyone could see.
“Don’t try to sway her heart so clumsily.”
Shan said softly, whispering.
“The moment you take Elze away from me, from that moment on, nothing matters. Unconditionally...”
Shan brought his face closer to Ilwooz. He kept a distance of the width of a fingernail and whispered softly.
“We all die together.”
Ilwooz shuddered briefly. He could not stand the murderous aura he felt from Shan Cirxus. The murderous aura was so strong that he felt as if he could smell the thick scent of blood in his nostrils. It was not simply a desire to kill others. It was something that came from his experience of actually killing and re-killing countless lives.
Dark energy slowly enveloped Ilwooz's entire body. Ilwooz slowly drew up his strength. Shan grimaced as white light appeared. Light touched Shan's fingertips. With a crackling, burning sound, his flesh turned black and died.
“To someone like you...”
Ilwooz took a deep breath. Then he spoke, careful not to let out too much divine power.
“It is absurd to have to send Elze away.”
Shan snickered as if he found it amusing to see Ilwooz trying to fight back. Shan raised his hand. The hand that had been blackened was slowly regenerating. Shan showed him his hand with new flesh growing and spoke to him.
“But that is Ines’ will.”
“...!!”
Ilwooz couldn't react at all to the word Ines. Shan smiled prettily and said to him, who had suddenly frozen.
“If you feel wronged, protest to Ines, who sent her as the savior.”
Shan's hand, which had been burned, had already been completely regenerated. With his hand now intact, Shan drove the wedge in one last time.
“Next time it won’t end so peacefully. Do you understand?”
"...That."
“I believe you understand without having to shed any blood. Your Holiness is a wise Pope.”
With those words, Shan turned around lightly. The moment his eyes broke, the tension that had been building up until just a moment ago disappeared without a trace. Ilwooz staggered with a sense of powerlessness. A sigh escaped his lips.
"Ah..."
As the millennium approached, Ilwooz's power grew stronger. But it wasn't just Ilwooz. Shan Cirxus was also growing stronger.
For now, he joined hands with Cirxus for the sake of Elze, but that was sleeping with the enemy. His cruel nature was hidden in the scabbard called Elze, but it was still sharp and undying. That sharpness might one day even wound the scabbard that was wrapped around him.
Ilwooz clenched his fists in the empty hallway. There would come a day when he would have a showdown with him. And when that day came...
“At least so that Lady Elze can choose freely.”
Ilwooz promised himself that he would at least do his part so that he would not be forced to make a choice due to the power of Shan Cirxus.
“Ilwooz has gone out.”
One of the servants informed Elze of Ilwooz's departure.
Ilwooz went out to meet believers within the Targayel Empire. He met believers, preached doctrines, and used divine powers to heal the sick. As Ilwooz's activities became known, the believers of Ines began to gather in the Targayel Empire to meet Ilwooz.
Since it was beneficial to the Empire in many ways, Targayel actively supported such Ilwooz.
But it seemed like he had to set off now of all times.
“He left early in the morning, so he’ll probably be back soon.”
At the servant's words, Elze decided to wait for him. The room prepared for Ilwooz had a bedroom, a living room, and a small study. Elze sat in the living room and waited for Ilwooz.
Ryeo Hyeon’s request was to decipher the book left behind by the founding Queen. Elze had never seen Ryeo’s documents, so she didn’t know, but Ryeo’s writing system had changed a lot over the years. As a result, the writing system of the ancient language and the modern Ryeo language was completely different, with only the form remaining vague.
The book left behind by the founding Queen was an ancient language, so even though many scholars of Ryeo tried to interpret it, they could not. Of course, the closest thing to Korean that Elze knew was an ancient language.
Elze took out what she had received from Hyeon. The book, wrapped in a beautiful black silk, was very old but was in good condition.
A faint sense of divine power was felt in the book. Hyeon said that he had asked Ilwooz to protect the book with divine power.
In fact, Ilwooz had the wisdom of a thousand years intact, so he could also interpret Ryeo's ancient language. However, Ilwooz did not decipher the book even after Hyeon's earnest request.
"I've asked Ilwooz several times to decipher it, but he never listened. But I can't just let our important national treasure rot away like this..."
So Hyeon ended up asking Elze for help.
Elze readily accepted Hyeon's request. However, after accepting, she began to worry. There must have been a reason why Ilwooz had refused, but she was worried that if she read it without permission, something would go wrong. It seemed like it would be better to ask Ilwooz first and then read the book.
As Elze was looking through the books, she noticed neat letters written on the front cover. There were three letters written in small letters.
[Diary]
The moment she saw that word, she suddenly felt a strong attraction.
“..."
Somehow, she felt like she had to read this book right now. Elze opened the book as if by conditioned reflex. And the moment she read the first word, Elze's eyes widened. She felt as if someone had hit her head and she became dazed.
[Pain.]
The letters, written in shaky handwriting, were full of despair. Elze moved her eyes to the next line.
[I want to go back. I want to go back to Korea. Mom, Dad... I miss you...]
Goosebumps ran through her body. Elze flipped through the paper as if in a trance. The next page opened. There was a frustrated note written on it.
[I heard the whole truth from Ilwooz today. Why was I dragged into this world?]
[Savior...? I am not a savior. Why do I exist here?]
[I can't sleep. I can't cry. I just want to die.]
The book left behind by the founding Queen was none other than her diary. And the diary was filled with nothing but pessimistic content. Elze quickly turned the pages and began to read.
[I begged to be sent home. But I couldn't go back. Ilwooz used up all his divine power to bring me back.]
[Ilwooz said that my existence in Korea has disappeared. Even if I go back, no one there will remember me...]
[He asked for my forgiveness, but I couldn't forgive him. But I couldn't blame him either. Ilwooz was only trying to save the continent.]
Elze's head was spinning. She had heard the story of the founding Queen of Ryeo in detail from Ilwooz before. She was from Korea, just like Elze. She was probably from the same era as Elze.
Even though the history of the Kingdom of Ryeo spans hundreds of years, there was a reason why its founding Queen was a contemporary of Elze.
It was because space and time were distorted as they crossed dimensions. Elze and the Queen were from the same era in Korea, but on the continent, they lived in a different era for several hundred years.
She was not a savior. However, the Queen lived on the continent and established the kingdom of Ryeo. From this point on, the Queen of Ryeo became friends with Ilwooz for generations, that was all Elze knew.
But there was also a tragedy hidden in that short story that was not revealed. Unlike Elze, the Founding Queen had not forgotten her memories of her past life and had them intact. Because of this, she was unable to adapt to the continent and suffered.
Her diary was filled with desperate pain and suffering. Her mental breakdown was clearly visible. Some pages were filled with nothing but words about wanting to die. Other pages even contained descriptions of attempted suicide.
[I tried to die today. But I couldn't.]
She was afraid to turn the next page. Elze turned the page with trembling fingers.
[Ilwooz burst into tears. He cried like a child and begged me for my wrongdoing. I suddenly came to my senses as I saw him kneeling, sobbing, and hitting his head on the floor.]
[I was just running away like an idiot. My life wasn't over yet, but I was sentencing myself to death.]
[I watched the sunrise with Ilwooz. He asked me what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to establish a country. Ilwooz seriously discussed the plan.]
[At that time, I laughed in front of Ilwooz and said it was a joke. But when I turned around, I thought, “Is it really necessary to joke?” Why can’t it be serious?]
But what is truly fortunate is that as the diary progresses, her mind begins to change little by little. The Queen gradually finds stability.
[Accept. I have decided to accept this world, this continent. Ilwooz promised to help me with all his might.]
[Just because I'm not the savior doesn't mean my life is lost. I can't just wallow in despair any longer.]
[I will change.]
Elze's heart, which had been pounding hard, began to calm down little by little. The last few pages of her diary were filled with hopeful content.
[A little... I think this place is getting better. Ilwooz is a friend I can share my feelings with.]
[I decided to go on a trip. As always, new challenges and changes are scary.]
[When I come back, many things will have changed. Me, and those around me... Since it has come to this, I decided to have big ambitions.]
The last line of the chapter was filled with a single sentence, written with emphasis and clarity.
[I will establish my kingdom.]
That was the end of the diary.
And just as Elze was closing the last chapter, Ilwooz came into the room.
“Elze...?”
“!!”
Elze was startled. She was so focused on the diary that she didn't even notice Ilwooz's presence. And Elze... couldn't greet him warmly.
Ilwooz tilted his head in puzzlement at Elze's unusual reaction. But soon he discovered what Elze was holding in her hand.
"That..."
Ilwooz's face clouded. Elze could tell from that look. Ilwooz knew what it was, what it was about.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz has a thousand-year soul. The Ilwooz of today and the Ilwooz of the time of the founding Queen of Ryeo are different people. However, they were also the same person. Elze said, clutching the diary tightly in her hand.
“I’ve read them all.”
“...”
Ilwooz's gaze was directed to the floor. Elze calmly opened her mouth to Ilwooz, who was unable to even raise his head properly and remained silent.
“The founding Queen of Ryeo came from a different world just like me, but she had memories.”
“...”
“Is there something you’re hiding from me?”
Elze looked straight at Ilwooz and spoke urgently.
“Be honest with me, Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz couldn't open his mouth easily. He hesitated and hesitated again. The story he was about to tell was that heavy. And after a long period of silence and hesitation, Ilwooz spoke.
“I erased the Savior’s memories... Memories of your past life..."
Elze couldn't say anything. She just stared blankly at Ilwooz. Ilwooz avoided Elze's gaze. He muttered with a face full of shame.
“As you can see... Queen Ryeo, the founding Queen, suffered greatly from memories of her past life...”
“...”
“It was even more so because not only her soul but also her body was transferred...”
The founding Queen of Ryeo moved her body and soul to the continent intact. As a result, her memories were intact. She longed for her hometown and suffered for a long time as she wandered around the continent, unable to adapt.
Ilwooz learned his lesson from his first failure, and was much more careful and used different methods when bringing Elze back.
First, only the souls were transferred and reborn on the continent. Then, the memories of their previous lives were gradually erased so that they would not have any longing. This was to ensure that they all adapted to the continent.
Thanks to this, Elze gradually forgot her memories of Korea. In particular, she completely forgot her memories of herself. The few things she could remember were small memories like Korean, green tea, and pottery. These were all things she could recall thanks to the Kingdom of Ryeo.
Ilwooz took a deep breath and exhaled, revealing the details.
“It was for the good of the continent... I am just sorry to Lady Elze.. .”
He muttered, holding his trembling hands together.
“You can criticize me... I will gladly accept any criticism...”
But who can blame him?
Just as the Founding Queen resented Ilwooz but could not criticize him, Elze was the same. Ilwooz simply did the best she could. If Elze had retained her memories of her past life, she might have wandered around the continent like the Founding Queen of Ryeo, unable to adapt to it.
That doesn't mean that Ilwooz did a good job. He erased Elze's memories without asking for her permission. Elze was wondering how to react. Ilwooz cautiously called out to Elze.
“Savior... No, Lady Elze...”
Ilwooz fiddled with the string that covered his eyes.
“The me now has incomparable strength compared to before... So...”
He whispered in a voice more hazy than ever.
“If the millennium passes and the devil’s evil is no longer manifested... I can send you back to where Elze came from...”
Ilwooz spoke the word carefully.
“To Korea...”
***
Ilwooz knew that he shouldn't send Elze back. The moment he uttered the words, a hundred reasons why he shouldn't send her back came to mind.
Even if Shan Cirxus had not manifested his evilness by the millennium, he did not know how the situation would change the moment Elze, the savior, left. However, Ilwooz did not take back his words.
“...”
In his long life, Ilwooz has met countless people. Of course, he doesn't remember all of them. But he does remember some people clearly. And there was a woman that Ilwooz couldn't forget even after hundreds of years.
The founding Queen of Ryeo.
She was a Queen who left a great mark on history, but behind her were countless tragedies that old history books could not contain.
The Queen desperately wanted to return home. Ilwooz was frustrated by her suffering and not being able to adapt to the continent. He felt the horror of what he had done and tried to send her back by any means necessary.
But it was impossible. At that time, Ilwooz had no power. He had poured all his strength into bringing her to the continent, so he had not been able to use his divine power for almost several years. But now that he thought about it, it was not just the overuse of power that prevented him from using his divine power.
Ilwooz's guilt towards her.
That was also one of the reasons why Ilwooz was unable to exert his power. Even after hundreds of years, her tears and despair were still vivid. That's how deeply the events of that time were engraved in Ilwooz's soul. And from the moment he saw Elze holding the founding Queen's diary in her hand, Ilwooz thought.
This time, I really want to give her a choice...
“Ilwooz. If I go back, who will stop the devil?”
Ilwooz answered Elze's question calmly.
“Ines said that the millennium is when evil will reach its peak. So if only that time passes, I might be able to do something about it.”
Ilwooz tried to explain with as little eloquence as possible so that Elze would not feel burdened by the choice.
“If Lady Elze says she wants to go back, I will use any means necessary to get there.”
Elze quietly called his name.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz waited for Elze's words with a trembling heart. However, what Elze said was not a choice.
“Aren’t you being too arbitrary?”
Elze's words startled Ilwooz. Elze smiled at him and said.
“When did you bring me here, and now you’re sending me away...”
The tone was relaxed, but there was a seriousness to it. Elze made her intentions clear to Ilwooz.
“A past life is just a past life. My life there was completely finished, and the people I love now are here.”
And she said to Ilwooz.
“Right now, it looks like Ilwooz is reaching out to me simply because you feel guilty.”
“...!!”
Elze's words were simple, but they cut to the heart of the matter.
Only then did Ilwooz look back on what he had said. It was a very impulsive, shallow self-consolation that he had said out of a desire to atone for her. Shame washed over him. Ilwooz finally admitted it honestly.
“Elze is right...”
His face flushed. He was always treated as Ilwooz, and he thought that he was at least behaving in a way that lived up to that name. But it wasn't. Every time he stood in front of Elze, Ilwooz felt infinitely inadequate.
Elze sighed and smiled slightly. Then she spoke soothingly.
“You don’t have to feel so guilty. Have you read her diary by any chance?”
Ilwooz shook his head. He didn't dare to read it, so he didn't even turn a single page.
“I think she liked you a lot.”
At Elze's words, Ilwooz opened his mouth. As Ilwooz tried to deny it, Elze handed him the diary.
“Read it.”
“...”
“I will return the book to the Queen myself. I will tell her that I cannot decipher it. And...”
Elze smiled faintly and said to him.
“Let’s pretend today never happened, Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz was handed a diary. Although she couldn't see it because his eyes were covered with a string, Elze had a feeling that he might be crying.
Elze left Ilwooz behind, quietly closed the door, and stepped out of the room. As the door clicked shut, Elze stepped out into the hallway and tilted her head for a moment.
“...?”
It was because something felt strange. But the empty hallway was just quiet. Elze frowned for a moment and then started walking again.
***
After a busy day, Elze entered the bedroom. She expected that he would be working, but for some reason, Shan was waiting for her.
“Shan, what’s the matter? Are you off today?”
At Elze's questioning voice, Shan nodded slightly and said.
“There must be days when I spend time with you.”
Shan's expression was a little suspicious as he nodded. Shan sat on the bed and tapped his hand next to him. Elze sat down next to Shan, wondering why he was doing this. And Shan said.
“I told you I’d tell you a secret.”
It seemed like he had been waiting to hear that. It was a shame to not tell the story when she was being asked this much. Elze brought up the story she had kept hidden.
“I have memories of my past life.”
The story that her previous life was not on the continent but in another world and that she came here as a savior was simple yet complicated. It may have been even more so because the story itself was hard to believe. Elze tried to explain it to him in as much detail as possible. And Shan's answer to the words she had painfully confessed was very simple.
“I see.”
Rather, he went even further and rebuked Elze.
“You’re the one who’s really bothering me with something like that? That’s too much, Elze.”
“No, that’s just it!”
Elze opened her eyes wide and spoke to Shan quickly.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous. If I go and tell someone about it, they’ll probably treat me like I’m crazy...”
"Ha?"
But before Elze could finish speaking, Shan cut her off. He looked at Elze with a face that asked what she was talking about and asked her again.
“So you thought I wouldn’t believe you?”
"That..."
“Elze.”
Elze flinched at Shan's soft call of her name. There was a reproach in his voice. Shan looked into Elze's eyes and said.
“There are demons that could destroy the continent, so how could I be surprised by something like that?”
He whispered as he hugged Elze.
“I would have believed you if you told me you were an angel.”
Shan then felt Elze's shoulder blade with his hand. Elze twisted her body as his hands gently caressed the protruding bone. It was so ticklish that she couldn't stand it. Shan held onto Elze, who was squirming. He said, lightly licking the back of her neck.
“If you have hidden your wings, you can take them out now.”
“Ugh!”
It was as if she really believed she had wings. Elze was startled and pushed Shan away. However, Shan, instead of being pushed away, clung to her even more. Elze ended up lying down on the bed. Elze, trapped in Shan’s arms, looked up at Shan and muttered.
“You, I always think this, are really shameless. Shameless...”
Shan giggled at Elze's reaction. Elze took advantage of Shan's laughter to surprise him by flipping over. Then she quickly escaped. However, Shan's hand wrapped around Elze's waist. Elze was dragged by Shan again.
“Didn’t I tell you that it’s My instinct to chase after someone who runs away?”
Shan hugged Elze tightly from behind. His wide arms wrapped around Elze without any gaps.
“I don’t care what you are. An angel, or someone from another world.”
He said, touching his shoulder blade again.
“As long as it doesn’t fly away into the sky.”
At this rate, he would be hearing angelic voices all day long. Elze turned her body back. Then, she pressed her forehead against his and muttered softly.
“I was wrong. Let’s stop talking about angels.”
Shan grinned at Elze's surrender. Elze and Shan looked at each other and giggled for a moment. Elze thought as she laughed along with him.
Why did you hide it? Shan accepts it so nonchalantly...
She's been needlessly making Shan anxious up until now. When she looked at Shan with a feeling of apology, he frowned slightly.
“But what makes me feel uneasy is that I’m a little angry.”
Shan's fingers pressed hard against Elze's lips.
“You’re hiding that reason because you don’t trust me. Huh?”
"Sorry..."
Shan said briefly in response to Elze's apology.
"Kiss."
Elze lightly kissed Shan on the lips. But Shan was not satisfied. He narrowed his eyes and spoke again.
“More intensely.”
The request was short and simple. But it was much more difficult. How could she make the kiss more intense? Elze licked her lips, thinking about it.
But the movement of the tongue that flickered seemed to be unsatisfactory. Shan raised one eyebrow. At his expression of dissatisfaction, Elze licked more vigorously. And Shan snickered.
“Ugh...”
Elze looked at him with eyes that asked for help. Shan’s hand ran down her back. The other hand pulled her shoulder tightly.
Their lips met and pressed gently. The strong teeth scratched and bit lightly, and then the tongue dug in. A soft yet warm sensation swept over the roof of her mouth.
Her eyes were dizzy. A tingling sensation rose up near her lower abdomen. Elze unconsciously shook her waist. The hand that had been caressing her back slowly moved down. He whispered softly.
“...Let’s just take it easy.”
The tips of his fingers touched a little deeper. His long, strong fingers brushed against her thighs and dug in between them.
“I won’t do it till the end...”
How could she refuse such a Shan? Elze’s body was already heated up by the heat. As she slowly nodded, a smile spread across Shan’s lips.
Elze felt that his smile seemed meaningful today.
***
“...Elze?”
Shan tried to call Elze cautiously, but all he could hear was her raspy breathing.
Once Elze fell asleep, she was a deep sleeper. Unless she was dying, there was no reason for her to wake up. After confirming that Elze was asleep, Shan slowly got up. Then, he carefully went out of the bedroom.
“...”
The moment the door closed, Shan's energy completely changed. Anger flashed across Shan's eyes.
“That kid...”
Shan, who was about to utter crude words, stopped. He walked quickly, fearing that Elze in the bedroom might hear him. He encountered a few employees on the way, but Shan’s fierce aura made them unable to speak properly and they ended up getting crushed.
The place Shan headed to was Ilwooz's room.
Elze and Ilwooz didn't know it, but Shan was listening to their conversation from the hallway.
Ever since Elze said she was going to meet Ilwooz, Shan had been curious about what the two of them would talk about. He had a constant feeling of unease about what Elze was hiding.
Shan hesitated for a while, then heard a report that Ilwooz had returned home and finally went to Ilwooz's room.
When Shan arrived, Ilwooz had already gone into the room. Shan leaned against the hallway and eavesdropped on their conversation.
It was easy for Shan to hear the conversation in the room. He concentrated his energy while keeping quiet, and he could hear the conversation little by little.
It was a difficult subject for Shan to understand. However, even though he didn't know how everything was going to work, he was able to figure out one thing right away.
"I can send you back to where you came from, Elze..."
Ilwooz was trying to separate Elze from Shan.
Of course, Elze seemed to have firmly refused, but the mere attempt was enough to make Shan angry. Shan, who was walking quickly, chuckled to himself. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it became. To think that he was doing this behind his back...
Shan suppressed his rising anger and headed to Ilwooz's room. Then he ran into the person he was looking for in the hallway.
Ilwooz was holding something wrapped in silk in his hand. It seemed to be the diary in question. Ilwooz quietly called Shan's name.
“Lord Cirxus...”
And Shan called him roughly.
“Ilwooz.”
Ilwooz's face hardened slightly at the energy he felt from Shan. When he didn't answer, Shan smiled crookedly and asked him a question.
“Do you have anything to say to me?”
Ilwooz looked at Shan for a moment without saying anything. He examined Shan carefully as if he was exploring him. Then he spoke softly.
"No..."
The moment Shan heard that, he couldn't help but laugh. Elza wouldn't be here either, his thoughts kept getting worse.
If it were up to him, Shan would grab that sloppy bastard by the collar right now. And wring his neck. So that he would never say anything nonsense again. His hands twitched in response to the urge. A seductive whisper came from deep inside him.
"Kill him."
How sweet were these words? The sound was so tempting that Shan felt a brief thrill.
But there was still a little patience left. This much could be tolerated. Shan decided to give Ilwooz a chance.
“I know what you and Elze talked about today.”
“...”
“Did you try to send her away without me?”
He could sense the agitation in Ilwooz. He asked back in a puzzled voice.
“How did you know...?”
The faint voice seemed as if it would break apart at any moment. It was so delicate that it seemed as if it would tear apart if you dug into it even a little.
Shan knew what to say and how to act to shatter him. The temptation to lie was creeping up on Shan.
But since Elze was involved, he couldn't just lie. Sadly, Shan resisted the temptation and told the truth.
“I overheard.”
It was a very confident confession. It was so honest that Ilwooz was even more embarrassed.
"That..."
"So."
Shan cut off Ilwooz's words and asked again.
“Why did you try to take Elze away from me, Master Ilwooz?”
Ilwooz quietly grabbed the book in his hand. Shan took a step closer to him. Then he looked down at Ilwooz with a commanding gaze.
An invisible energy passed between the two. An eerie feeling that would have made a normal person burst into tears already settled over them.
But Ilwooz was not a pope for nothing. He withstood Shan's aura. Ilwooz opened his mouth in a suppressed voice.
“I didn’t mean to separate you...”
He seemed a little uncomfortable, but eventually, he untied the string that bound his eyes. As his power was released, divine power surged out. Ilwooz met Shan’s gaze with his rainbow-colored eyes. He opened his mouth with a much more relaxed and clear voice.
“I just gave her, Elze, a chance to choose.”
And Shan's smile grew even brighter.
“It’s a choice.”
A faint laughter flowed out. Shan took a step closer to Ilwooz.
“Even if she wanted to go back, wouldn’t you have to stop her?”
Now, the distance between Shan and Ilwooz was less than two paces. Shan raised his chin and spoke sarcastically.
“What would you do if I really turned into a devil?”
At Shan's words, Ilwooz tightly held the book in his hand. Then he spoke solemnly.
“...I will stop you.”
“Do you really think you can stop me?”
Shan answered leisurely, crossing his arms.
“I guess a thousand years have been wasted.”
A deep darkness shone in his eyes. Shan spoke slowly as if he were talking to a child.
“You can do a lot of bad things without necessarily turning into something like a devil. Whatever Ilwooz predicts... I can create an even worse tragedy, that’s what I’m saying.”
Shan could see Ilwooz's eyes shaking. It seemed like he hadn't expected this to happen.
Shan could have let her go if Elze wanted it if it was for Elze's sake. However, the premise of their separation was always 'Elze'.
If it wasn't her own decision, he couldn't accept it. Especially if it was someone gently coaxing her out of the breakup like this...
Just thinking about it made Shan feel hot. Suddenly, his emotions started to get intense. Once again, he felt the urge to kill Ilwooz.
But he had to endure it. It was a truly sad reality, a regrettable tragedy. So Shan smiled. It was to hide his true feelings. However, even though his lips were smiling, his eyes were filled with a vivid murderous look that anyone could see.
“Don’t try to sway her heart so clumsily.”
Shan said softly, whispering.
“The moment you take Elze away from me, from that moment on, nothing matters. Unconditionally...”
Shan brought his face closer to Ilwooz. He kept a distance of the width of a fingernail and whispered softly.
“We all die together.”
Ilwooz shuddered briefly. He could not stand the murderous aura he felt from Shan Cirxus. The murderous aura was so strong that he felt as if he could smell the thick scent of blood in his nostrils. It was not simply a desire to kill others. It was something that came from his experience of actually killing and re-killing countless lives.
Dark energy slowly enveloped Ilwooz's entire body. Ilwooz slowly drew up his strength. Shan grimaced as white light appeared. Light touched Shan's fingertips. With a crackling, burning sound, his flesh turned black and died.
“To someone like you...”
Ilwooz took a deep breath. Then he spoke, careful not to let out too much divine power.
“It is absurd to have to send Elze away.”
Shan snickered as if he found it amusing to see Ilwooz trying to fight back. Shan raised his hand. The hand that had been blackened was slowly regenerating. Shan showed him his hand with new flesh growing and spoke to him.
“But that is Ines’ will.”
“...!!”
Ilwooz couldn't react at all to the word Ines. Shan smiled prettily and said to him, who had suddenly frozen.
“If you feel wronged, protest to Ines, who sent her as the savior.”
Shan's hand, which had been burned, had already been completely regenerated. With his hand now intact, Shan drove the wedge in one last time.
“Next time it won’t end so peacefully. Do you understand?”
"...That."
“I believe you understand without having to shed any blood. Your Holiness is a wise Pope.”
With those words, Shan turned around lightly. The moment his eyes broke, the tension that had been building up until just a moment ago disappeared without a trace. Ilwooz staggered with a sense of powerlessness. A sigh escaped his lips.
"Ah..."
As the millennium approached, Ilwooz's power grew stronger. But it wasn't just Ilwooz. Shan Cirxus was also growing stronger.
For now, he joined hands with Cirxus for the sake of Elze, but that was sleeping with the enemy. His cruel nature was hidden in the scabbard called Elze, but it was still sharp and undying. That sharpness might one day even wound the scabbard that was wrapped around him.
Ilwooz clenched his fists in the empty hallway. There would come a day when he would have a showdown with him. And when that day came...
“At least so that Lady Elze can choose freely.”
Ilwooz promised himself that he would at least do his part so that he would not be forced to make a choice due to the power of Shan Cirxus.
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