Long Live the Queen(3)
It was the moment when Tates’ hand stretched out.
He could kill himself with his bare hands.
‘I should have asked.’
Are the things Lia Pal showed really the future? What were those vague looks she showed me from time to time? Why did she try to block me so much?
There were many regrets, but no options. Miram opens her eyes to the pain that never comes even though many things pass through her closed vision and time continues to pass.
“······.”
Tates Balthazar. He was grinning and holding Leah’s arm.
“······Aren’t you going to kill me?”
“There are a lot of reasons to kill, but this is pretty monumental.”
“What is that…”
Miriam looked puzzled by Tates’s actions of not killing her.
Having given up revenge, she can no longer be Tates’ ally.
Conversely, since he was persuaded by his enemy Corin Locke, it can be seen as a betrayal.
Moreover, she shared a lot as his ally.
Frost giant. Alliance of North Kingdom. The resurrection of the World Tree… Even if you only knew one of these things, there was enough reason to kill him.
“I was quite surprised that your fate changed. Your future was always indeterminate, but the end was always the same.”
“What is that…”
“Well, this is a complaint from a man who has lived for a long time.”
His attitude and behavior were clearly strange. It’s a given that she’s going to be his enemy now, but why?
“Information······.”
“Say whatever you want. Corin Locke will know anyway.”
With those words, Tates went out to the terrace. It seems like the only goal from the beginning was to retrieve Lia’s arm.
“Next time we meet, we will be enemies.”
Tates jumping off the terrace. Miriam was dumbfounded as she watched the scene.
·········
······
···
“It’s killing me, isn’t it?”
These were Ohad’s words. Until recently, he had been checking the ‘Primal Rune – T’ in Merkava, and before he knew it, he was drinking wine here in the royal capital.
“Let’s leave it as a souvenir. It’s surprising that she survived.”
“Is it really love that overcomes fate? It’s a romantic story, but it’s going to be a pretty annoying enemy.”
Tates just smiled mysteriously. Ohad was not unaware of what this romanticist was pursuing, but his questions were not over.
“I thought you were going to kill the youngest soon?”
Erin Danua.
The last god king of this era.
She now has a legitimate right to a paradise hidden beyond the dimension.
Compared to Tates, who can only use primordial runes for a momentary prank, it is no problem for her to summon paradise on her own if she puts her mind to it.
This is why Tates Balthasar held a coronation ceremony and attempted to usurp the king’s throne.
As master of the rightful paradise, Tir Na Nog, to lift the curse on Goidel hidden within it.
To create a new world from the complete destruction and ashes of this world.
Erin Danua’s death is essential.
“It was meant to be.”
“expected?”
“If you knew my commandments, you would have bet on that timing. If it were someone else, you would have bet…”
Tates stopped walking. His gaze is directed towards the royal palace of Miriam.
“I want to fight him with all my might. It will be an awesome fight.”
“Well, I fought, but it wasn’t enough to compete with you. At that level, I could kill you.”
“‘This time’ is different.”
Perhaps only Ohad himself understands his meaningful intentions. He shook his head.
“It’s annoying to know that there are so many. If it were me, I would kill him immediately.”
“There is no hope, God King of Jeonjeontai.”
“He is too noble. Do you believe he will come back on his own? At the very least, if he disappears with the original, it will be difficult to find him.”
Ohad’s question.
They do not yet have the original source or the treasures needed for the coronation.
Nevertheless, Tates, who believed that they would come back on their own, was puzzled.
“Don’t come here. Both you and I are romanticists.”
He trusts in the adversary of his destiny.
Because that cool and kind guy has always been like that.
That man will overcome all trials and disadvantages and reach me.
You won’t be disappointed this time.
Either way, Tates has no intention of changing the fate he has decided for himself. His arm reaches out towards the sun rising high and catches it as if grasping it.
Come, adversary of fate.
My mortal enemy.
I am in the north.
Let’s engage in a fierce battle that will melt even the harsh cold of the frozen ground.
* * * *
“······.”
The commotion in the secret world that no one knows about subsides. Morning came without any reward for accumulating strength.
“It looks different from the future.”
“······It wasn’t unexpected.”
There was no assumption that Balthazar would not come.
Unlike the previous episode, his power was exhausted, and the cooperative forces fell, except for the Nine Churches.
Dun Skies, Permak Daman, and the Sword Demon are also dead. It was safe to say that the actual force had been cut in half.
As so many things have changed, I thought there was a possibility that they might give up the attack.
“But… it must have been a chance opportunity for him.”
Tates Balthazar’s purpose. Paradise has arrived.
To do this, you must obtain the eight primordial runes that make up Tir Na Nog and the four treasures of Danan, which are the qualifications for the coronation ceremony.
Above all, it is necessary to assassinate the current God King, Master.
For this, the opening of the paradise entrance to 『Primordial Rune – T』, which caused great confusion at the Academy, would have been the perfect timing…
“Is it over…?”
Although all my preparation and tension were in vain, what flowed from within me was a deep sense of relief.
“Are you okay?”
Master approaches me, worried about me.
It was exactly two years ago. She evacuated me, Park Si-hoo, and us.
The city was burning, and the academy was in chaos. The screams of countless demons pouring down, unable to defend against the shadow demons.
In it, Master simply showed his back.
That was Master’s last appearance. I thought I would never see you again.
“Master.”
“Why?”
“Can I hug you for a moment?”
“What? All of a sudden?!”
She was shocked because my request was absurd, but I didn’t wait for her permission.
Hug, hug me. The heat on her body and the soft feel of her cheek on the back of her neck… made me realize that she was alive.
“I’m sorry. Can’t we just… stay like this for a moment?”
“Ah, ugh… that…”
Master struggled for a moment and then hugged my back tightly.
“It’s okay… I’m here.”
“······.”
I was anxious.
Even after making all the preparations and planning the most favorable conditions, I was anxious.
If I fail, if I don’t have enough strength… then Master will definitely sacrifice himself for me.
I won’t tolerate it twice. You can’t fail twice. Even though I knew the future, and after experiencing that tragedy, if I lost it again… I didn’t think I could forgive myself.
“This, this isn’t the end… but I’m relieved.”
Tates Balthazar There must be a reason why that guy didn’t show up. In any case, the crisis is not over.
“I will protect it. Even if it means risking everything.”
Marie, Alicia, Hwaran… anyone can be lost at any time. So, you shouldn’t be complacent here. You have to read his moves and prepare──
“Thank you. I’m always grateful and feel guilty.”
“Master… why?”
“For putting too much of a burden on you. I’m proud of you for trying to save people.”
She breaks free from my arms and faces me directly. A tent of sun shining behind her.
Her face was not always kind, but somehow sad…
“I am a blessed person.”
she says
As the last Ardri left in the world.
A long life of wandering the world and protecting justice.
“I met you and was protected from you. This long life was definitely meant to meet you.”
She holds my face. Her face bloomed with reddish heat.
“Originally, I wouldn’t be dead by now, right? But look, I’m alive and here in front of you.”
“I see how happy and relieved you are for my survival, and even though I feel guilty, I am so happy to know what you can do for me.”
“Disciple. My beloved disciple. My Corin who swears to walk with me and protect me. I swear to you, to me.”
She closed her eyes and kissed my lips. With affection and love. Their lips parted and a smile filled their eyes.
“I will survive. My duty is to live with you and walk with you. I will give it my all to make sure you never have to grieve.”
“So… value your life more than anyone else. Think about the children who were hurt by you. Worry about me.”
“My beloved Corin. Let us be together, at least for each other.”
I was speechless.
I… have already lost her and many others.
That’s why I know how devastating it is. I look back at the people I could have saved but couldn’t.
This time will be different. This time I will save everything.
My precepts were such an oath that I would have risked my life for it.
That was my atonement for my failure, failing to notice the great evil that was Park Si-hoo and abandoning countless lives.
Teacher does not tell me to quit. Let’s do it together, he says.
“Thank you, Master. You always give me strength.”
“Not Master.”
“yes?”
“Call me by my name. I’m your colleague… so, I guess I want you to call me by my name.”
“Uh… eh, Rin?”
Erin laughed at my trivial words.
“It’s good to hear. I was only called by my name… but I never thought it would make my ears tingle and my heart pound so much.”
“Master?”
As soon as I started crying, her beautiful finger touched my lips.
“Erin.”
“Eh, Erin…”
“Yes. Corrin.”
She looks happy and calls my name as if licking something sweet. After thinking about it for a while… I gently cupped my lips.
A fleeting overlap. A brief, shockingly brief contact.
Nevertheless, that short time felt so long… We parted our lips and spread the distance apart, unable to hide our burning faces.
“Eh, Erin…?”
“Uh, uhm…”
Master Erin traces her lips with her fingers as if she can’t believe I did it. She stood up as if embarrassed.
“Whoa, whoa… this isn’t good for the heart. It’s really… bad. That’s it for today.”
“Eri──”
“That’s it for today! Now call me Master again!”
“No, what is that…”
“Let’s stop here?!”
Master, bean my forehead! He squeezed it and fanned his red-faced face.
“Whoa, whoa…! I’m tired! I have to go home and sleep now!”
Master jumps off the clock tower without me even having time to say anything. It was a light jump that, if not for the teacher, would have been mistaken for suicide.
“Uh… Master, let’s go together!”
I jumped too. You can just go down the stairs normally…
“Why, why are you chasing me?!”
“No… it’s in the same direction?”
“Ah… hmm… then, let’s go together.”
“······yes.”
“······.”
“······.”
The two of us walked awkwardly looking at the sky without saying a word.
* * * *
After the harvest festival and Balthazar’s surprise visit, Miriam felt the empty embrace.
Destiny Stone Leah Pal.
The location of the coronation stone that selects the king.
She had seen unknown scenes through that stone several times.
“You stupid woman… I told you to wait.”
“I wanted to have a child… Mom… I’m sorry. Sorry······.”
“You were my destiny. “It was too late to realize it, but…”
“Huh…”
Although it is no longer there, I clearly remember the scenes that the stone showed me.
Him who was sad, himself who lost everything even though he had achieved his long-held wish… him who was sad to see himself like that.
From noble mtl dot com
Originally, I had planned to bury it.
I was planning on ignoring it and forgetting about it.
But I couldn’t forget it, the day Tates came. The moment I felt death, it came back to me like a lingering thought.
“······December 25th.”
this year. that day.
The coming 25th.
“What should I do?”
Now I know.
That became my regret.
So a sense of obligation to check lingered in her thoughts.
“Corin Locke.”
What should I do with that man?
Miriam was in agony as the upcoming date approached.