86. left in the past (1)
“I plan to tackle this disaster alone.”
At that time, at the end of the storage room, I spoke to the pope while slowly adding magic so that my colleagues wouldn’t hear. Of course, the expression on the pope’s face after hearing my words couldn’t be said to be good with empty words.
“Warrior… , What kind of bizarre words are you talking about?”
“Do you remember that I said that the fifth plague, the fog, comes alive with the people in it as fuel?”
The Pope frowned and nodded.
“But, what does that have to do with the hero going out to subdue alone?”
“The stronger the magic power of the person entering, the stronger the life force of the fog. Unless that person can thwart the Mist’s attempt to disenchant. And, that’s not something I can hold back. Virtually everyone who enters the fog is fighting the fog one-on-one.”
As I said that, I glanced at the party members. The party members were eagerly examining the relic they had chosen. I hope that can help everyone grow.
“Those guys are strong. But if you ask if it’s okay to face the catastrophe one-on-one, no one will be able to help but tilt their head.”
In this world, the only two people I can entrust with that task are Arjen and the Archduke of Quenore. If I had to put just one of them into the mist, it would be Arjen.
“For that to happen, I’d much rather walk into the fog alone.”
“What the hell is going on in the fog? Are you showing me nightmares?”
asked the pope, crossing his arms.
“It’s worse. It’s not just for show, it’s going to come true. With substance.”
The pope erased the frown from his face and looked at me. The Pope’s expression was sober. He looked at me and seemed to be calculating something. The Pope looked at me like that for a while, then exhaled briefly and opened his mouth.
“So, what is a request? I think I know roughly what it is.”
I nodded. In this situation, there could be no request other than this.
“After I enter the mist tonight, please control no one entering the mist. Especially my colleagues. I would appreciate it if you could explain why you can’t go to attack the disaster together, and tell me to wait.”
Maybe, too irresponsible words. After saying that, I turned to my colleagues. What I said to the Pope may be nothing more than an excuse. don’t want to lose want to keep The words that you couldn’t even protect what you put in your hands were that heavy. I was lost between that greed and determination.
“[Stupid bastard.]”
around two in the morning. After all the preparations, I heard the voice of the holy sword in my head sitting on the desk. Of course, I shared this plan with Seonggeom. Because I’m not going to die, I’m going to defeat disaster.
“[It’s not that I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I can’t help but curse at you. If you leave them behind, how are you going to handle that resentment?”
“The fog is different. Just because I’m strong, it’s not a disaster that I can deal with. Giants are disasters that we can fight back to back, but fog is not.”
The Holy Sword sighed, and I put down the letter I was writing. This is a letter to Georg. I wrote down various arrangements in case I couldn’t come back.
“[Don’t think you can’t come back. Shouldn’t you go with the thought that you will definitely come back?]”
“of course. will definitely come back no matter what.”
Saying that, I suddenly looked down at the Holy Sword. If I get lost forever in the fog, perhaps Arjen will retrieve the holy sword and use it.
“[I have no intention of lending my power to such a bastard. Don’t ever think of handing me over to anyone again, Illroy. I am your sword.]”
The Holy Sword said forcefully. I squeezed the hilt of my sword and nodded.
“[If something happens to you, I will protect you this time, at all costs. Do you understand?]”
The Holy Sword’s voice was different from usual. It was a very firm, firm voice.
“[So, fight the fog with all your might. Don’t even think nonsense. Go with the intention of defeating the disaster as usual and saving the people trapped in it.]”
“yes. Okay.”
I let the holy sword know the answer and spread my spirits. The accommodation provided by Seongguk was quiet. I checked the presence of other party members. Georg seemed to have fallen asleep early, and Daphne was engrossed in her newly obtained grimoire. Only Marianne’s presence was tossing and turning. I thought I’d wait for Marianne to fall asleep before leaving.
“let’s go.”
Marianne fell asleep. I got up with my feet on the window that I had opened earlier. The night air is cold. I grabbed the window frame and jumped out of the inn.
“[It’s like a petty thief.]”
“What kind of shoplifter in the world would jump out of there?”
I hid my presence and walked to the Vatican. The presence of disaster was clearer than the chill of winter. I faced the Pope who was waiting with the Paladins at the back of the Holy See.
“I made the Holy Father wait.”
“it’s okay. We have to start controlling it from the moment the hero enters the fog anyway.”
The fog at night was even more terrifying. The fog that has become a wall blocking the world behind the Vatican. It felt like looking at the end of the world. It feels like there will be a cliff that will fall endlessly if you go over there. The mist welcomed me, wriggling in place.
“Of course, as I said, we won’t be able to block it forever. As you said, you don’t know what’s going on from the outside. Even if you are winning, if people’s anxiety increases, you will have no choice but to send in rescue personnel.”
“I know. Well, even so, it would be nice if you could wait a week.”
Worst case, you’ve almost taken him down, and someone is sent in to give him some extra power. I sighed thinking that.
“Then, let’s go in.”
“God bless the warrior.”
I left the pope’s words behind and stood in front of the fog. It was cold, it was cold. I repeated my purpose again. Defeat the fog and rescue the people imprisoned in the fog.
“[If you go into the mist, it will be hard for me to talk to you. It’s a strange place where magic works. There is no other way than to endure it intact with your mental strength.]”
Fog embodies nightmares. It can be the past that you hate to face the most, or it can appear in the form of a memory you miss the most. I can call out what I fear, and I can face the object I hate.
Fog uses magic to materialize someone’s nightmare. When a person in the fog succumbs to a nightmare, the fog then begins to suck the mana of the person who succumbed to it.
“… The deeper you show the nightmare, the more you have to use the power of the fog body. So,”
It means that if you keep fighting and fighting the nightmare, you will one day reach the core of the fog. I raised one corner of my mouth as I gazed at the surface of the shimmering fog.
At that time, Arjen faced his past. I remember that the story of Carla, the most important person to Arjen, also came out at that time. What Arjen saw was a home. If he had saved Carla at that time, if he had stayed with Carla instead of going to report that the village was strange.
And what Arjen saw was the future. The future of completing missions, earning enough money to get sick of it, quitting mercenary work and living with Carla.
It took Arjen to deny the fog for a month in the fog. It took a week outside the fog. Arjen was able to defeat the fog, eventually killing the Khala.
“I don’t want to be subjected to such a nasty thing.”
I smiled bitterly.
“[Illroy, remember.]”
Suddenly, the voice of the holy sword was heard.
“[No matter what, you are you. Don’t lose yourself.]”
I nodded and looked back one last time. He stretched out his hand toward the fog. The fog touched my palms, and the fingertips were wrapped in a cold sensation. I watched the mist slowly eat away at me from my hands. was getting sucked in Like a cloth made of steam, the mist wrapped around me and I entered the mist.
“… This is how it feels.”
I blinked and looked ahead. The whole world was in a cloud of smoke. The senses were not faint. The magic was working well, and the senses of the body were clear. It made me feel even worse as if I was claiming that this was real.
“If you face bad memories in this sense, you can’t help but feel annoyed.”
or succumb. I muttered like that. No answer came from the Holy Sword. I drew my sword The feeling of the veil and the holy sword calmed my pounding heart. The training of the crown naturally rises above your head. I stepped out in perfect condition.
And, the landscape began to change.
“… I didn’t even expect this.”
Before I knew it, I was in a forest on the outskirts of the capital. I looked around in bewilderment. The veil I was holding in my left hand disappeared before I knew it. Not winter, but summer’s hot forest air. I couldn’t even feel the sensation when I activated the crown. I was left alone in the forest with the holy sword in my right hand.
“You are weak.”
It seemed that he had reduced his body’s mana to about a third, and his muscular strength seemed to have weakened. It was extremely sincere that he would suck his mana once. I drew the holy sword and stepped forward.
“By the way, what memories are you trying to show me?”
And, I soon realized what the fog was trying to show me.
“… Why are you starting from here?”
What stood in my way was an ignorantly large gray bear. Maybe it’s because of my mood that it looks bigger than the one I usually face in the forest. The bear was salivating, turning its white-only eyes at me. I flicked the holy sword lightly and faced the bear.
Yes, it was.
The feeling of fear when facing a monster after falling into this world for the first time. Fear as a primitive prey that makes you think about what you can do. I was the same body I was then. The holy sword is not opened, and there is no crown. All I have is a habit that is ingrained in the body of a person called Illroy.
“… Well, maybe it’s a little different now.”
It wasn’t that scary. The bear was more ferocious and mighty then than I remembered, but I also became stronger against him.
The bear threw out its front paw and charged. I let it run. The eye was catching the forepaw. The body says that if you get hit by that, you will die, so avoid it. However, I didn’t dodge and took the holy sword and took the jockeying ceremony.
do not avoid
As the Holy Sword said, the current me, bumping into and advancing.
The tip of the sword cut through the air. I seized the bear’s wide open shoulder and drew down the Holy Sword, and with the sword I made, it cut the gray bear’s body in half, drawing a cleaner moon trajectory than ever before. I smiled with satisfaction at the performance of the holy sword itself, which I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Beneath the bear’s body formed a small pool of blood. Uncomfortable, even the blood on his body was clear.
“… If you go like this, what the hell are you trying to show?”
I grumbled and put the sword into the scabbard. The spectacle that the fog shows is not over yet. I sighed as I looked at the deep forest casting a gloomy shadow. Perhaps, even if you walk to the other side, the royal road will not come out, only the same forest will continue to appear.
great.
I tried to ignore the anxiety rising in a corner of my heart and moved on. First of all, the start wasn’t bad.
Yeah I think Marianne will enter the mist after him. Not sure about the other party members though
I feel Like Marinna Is gonna run into the trial and have a trial related to a fake future with Illroy and will solve it with the Compass or something
Hmm, I wonder if OG!Illroy’s feelings will affect the trial 🤔
It was obvious that the key to this is mental strength, and that Arjen’s trial would be about Carla. Hmm I wonder what Illroy’s will be 🧐