The Returner

2. It will start now (3)

“Is death a new option? ”

“Darling's body is too weak now. ”

Erkana approaches Lee Ji-hyuk and strokes his cheek.

“I don't mean physical strength. In other words, Darling's body is stronger than ever. But you know that's not all, right? ”

“Yes."

“Darling's body is collapsing right now. The psych and physical connections aren't overcoming any more of his subordinates. ”

“Of course.”

“If the erosion continues any longer, you will inevitably become a Mage. I, too, am desperately trying to stop Apeldice, but I can't do it anymore. ”

Herkana sighs briefly.

“If the mutant can withstand, Darling will become a Mage. But if that mutation doesn't hold, Darling will die. ”

“Which is the best chance? ”

“The latter, overwhelmingly. ”

“That's unfortunate. ”

Herkana shakes her head.

“Darling.”

“Huh?"

“Either way, the result is no different. You know what it means to be a demon. Even if you survive and become a Mage, it's not you anymore. Your personality disappears. It's just the birth of a new Horse. That's what the Horsemen are like. ”

“That's right."

It was also a problem when he had a lot of useless knowledge of the Mages. Lee Hyuk was bitter.

“This is the limit. You can feel Darling, can't you? ”

“Yes.”

“Darling……. ”

Erkana was about to say something.

But Lee Hyuk knew what Herkana was saying.

“Let's stop.”

“Darling!”

“This time, I will never set foot on this land again. ”

“… that's out of the question. ”

“If you hold your soul steady and move on to Beraf, you can live forever again." But in return, I will never return home. As soon as I get back, the mutation will accelerate. ”

“Yes, it is. ”

Just as the water that has been piled up and blocked up in the embassy exploded and flowed explosively, if we go to Beraf and prevent erosion, all the magi will take over the body at once as soon as we return to this world.

It's happened once already.

That's why Lee Hyuk's mazu is going so fast.

It was a mazorization that couldn't stop the magic of the Dragon Road and the reign of the Circubus Queen.

“Listen, Herkana. ”

“Yes, Darling. ”

“Humans are human for a reason. ”

“ ……. ”

“One of the things a human being needs to exist is so obvious. Life is finite.”

“Darling……. ”

“The moment I gave up my life and went over to Beraf and took over my infinite life, I was no longer human. Don't you think it's funny to give up on humans so they can't be demons? ”

“You might die. No, we're gonna die. Becoming a Demon is a human word for death. ”

“I lived a long time. ”

Lee Hyuk smiled.

“I've lived too long. ”

“You haven't had much of a human life. Don't you regret it?”

“Too bad, of course. ”

Lee Hyuk said honestly.

“I wish I could live a hundred more years if I had my way. This world is fun. It's a pleasure I haven't had in thousands of years in veraph. It's been months in this world. I thought," This is why people live. "”

Herkana gazes at him silently.

“That's how I found out. how meaningless it is to live thousands of years without being human. Thinking about what all those years of living in Beraf meant to me... the result was too much. ”

“But Darling, maybe we can find another way around Beraf. ”

“Another way? ”

“Darling is a control of magic. ”

“ ……. ”

“It's a story of pride, but not dragons, not Mages, nor Darling's magic. If Darling can hold on to her body for an indefinite amount of time, maybe we can find a new way to purify Darling's body, right? ”

“... I never thought of it that way. ”

“It may take thousands of years, but according to this, it's only a dozen more years. If you use the Magic System, it will only take a shorter time. ”

Lee Hyuk's face became a little serious.

“So don't give up. It's not like Darling.”

Lee Hyuk smiled.

“I think so, too. I guess I'm too tired. ”

“It doesn't suit me. ”

“Sure. Come here. ”

“All right, all right! All of a sudden. ”

Lee Hyuk grinned as he saw the distant Herkana waving his tail.

‘Nonsense. ’

Even if we go to Beraph with our souls fixed in this world, if the earth itself collapses, the souls of Lee Hyuk will also collapse. And the Earth will collapse as soon as the existence of Lee Ji-hyuk disappears.

If the harmony of life is broken and death covers the world, the soul of Lee Hyuk will no longer exist.

In the end, there is no future for Lee Ji-hyuk regardless of which one he chooses.

Go to Beraph and oxidize with the slow coming apocalypse, or fight one more day in this world and face death.

“There are no happy endings. ”

I knew from the beginning.

I was confident as the gate grew stronger and stronger every day.

There is no end to everyone's joyful laugh. Unfortunately, the end of this drama is the sad end.

“You knew, right? ”

“Okay.”

“So let's not pretend to be depressed. ”

“You're saying this because Darling is depressed, not because of me? ”

“Is that so?"

Lee Hyuk laughed and started laughing.

“Darling.”

“I'm listening. ”

“The axis is too wide. ”

“… I see. ”

“Darling's life is at hand, but the end of the world is at hand. In the near future, fairy tales with the Magic Cube will unfold. Then this world is over. ”

If a dimensional axis were to unfold and the doors of the earth and the magic system were to open, the price would go to hell. A literal Hell Gate opens where wild horses and horses are constantly gushing out.

“So you don't want to go back? ”

“Me?”

“No, him. ”

At the place where Lee Hyuk was watching, Appeldrich revealed himself.

“I told you from the beginning, I don't want to go back. I'm here to help you. ”

“I don't think there's anything I can do to help anymore. ”

“If only I could extend it for a minute or two. ”

“What does that mean? ”

“Even if it means nothing to you, it means something to me. ”

“Yes."

Lee Hyuk got up and sat on the bed.

“Yeah, you're right. If you can stall one minute, one second, it's worth it. Just because the result is the same doesn't mean the process is meaningless. ”

“ ……. ”

I didn't mean it like that, but seeing the fresh face of Lee Yi Hyuk, it was an appendicite.

“Let's not do this. We're not meant to be tragic characters. ”

“Especially you. The Throne of Doom.”

“Hnng.”

Lee Hyuk opened his base.

“I feel like a person today, too. I was depressed, I missed my normal life. I just wanted to live like this for a few more days. ”

“But you'd be bored if you had a few days. ”

“That's the funny thing about humans. I always want something else. I want to rest when I play, and I want to play when I rest. ”

Lee Hyuk laughed and laughed.

“But I don't mind. That's all for now. ”

It felt like the long and long book was over.

“I don't care what comes. You'll have to go through me eventually. ”

“So……. ”

Appeldrich sits behind Lee Hyuk's back and slowly pulls him down.

“Now take a break. ”

“... did you bewitch me? I'm getting sleepy.”

“Sleep is always magic. ”

Lee Hyuk closed his eyes without an answer. Apeldris, who gently sweeps away his sleeping forehead, looks at Lee Hyuk with sad eyes.

“Poor guy. ”

Who else has lived such a harsh life as a human being?

It was the fierceness, the life itself, that even a hard-working dragon couldn't endure.

“I wish I had at least a little more time. ”

“Why don't you pray to Latrell for that? ”

“… You know Ji-hyuk is not affected by Latrel. ”

“Hmph.”

Herkana snorts.

“Darling can fool me, but she can't fool me. Lizard, what are you up to? ”

“Are you asking me if you value deception and deception? ”

“At least I'm not lying to Darling. ”

“You know that dragons cannot lie, don't you, Circus Queen? ”

Aefeldrice and Erkana's gaze interlock in the air.

After staring at each other for a long time, they looked down after Lee Hyuk twisted his body.

“I have no intention of continuing with a thin alliance. ”

“So am I. ”

“If you harm Darling, I swear I will rip your throat out. Don't forget.”

“... That's not going to happen. ”

The appendage whispered nonchalantly.

“Don't think that you're the only one for Ji Hyuk. From my point of view, I have no doubt that you, the Maestro, are really for Ji-hyuk. ”

“You're talking nonsense about a pierced mouth. I was the one who empowered him to come back here while you were harassing Darling. ”

“The result is this. ”

“ ……. ”

“All you did was drive Ji-hyuk to his death as a result. If I had stayed there, at least I wouldn't have to worry about death. ”

“If the world collapses, Ji-hyuk dies too! ”

“I don't know. Maybe a few hundred more years, though. ”

The appendage lets out a low breath and sweeps down Lee Hyuk's sleeping head.

“Don't fight amongst us. We're not the hardest ones. ”

“... Yes. ”

Erkana also looked at Lee Hyuk with sad eyes.

“Poor guy. ”

“Don't pity Darling, you damn lizard. ”

Herkana said in a confident tone.

“A man who stands at the top of the barn with a human body. I'm the one who's going to figure out a way to get rid of those dying eyes. ”

“... I hope so. Seriously.”

The two of them who sensed that the end of Lee Hyuk was coming, were no longer sharply flicking their tongues at each other.

However, the fact that it did not spread into genuine emotional struggle was because each of them knew what it meant.

“I wish I could just rest for a few days. ”

“I see.”

It was hard to see Lee Hyuk's appearance that he was going to collapse soon. At one time, it was so strong that people who seemed to be able to fight the whole world were trapped in the weak human body and dying. It was so horrible and sad.

“... Sleep well. Just for tonight.”

Erkana and the appendage stayed on Lee's cheek.

Lee Hyuk fell into a deep and deep sleep without knowing anything.