novelraw Chapter 125
Chapter 125
Ch.125 There’s an Intruder!
After this grim realization, I returned to Pisa and lay in my room.
—Knock knock.
Someone at the door.
I didn’t particularly want to see anyone—but they probably had business.
“Come in.”
—Creak.
The door opened immediately, and a beautiful woman with deep golden hair peeked in.
“It’s me.”
Her cautious, almost wounded-animal demeanor made me frown.
“What? Aren’t you coming in?”
Mia shuffled in nervously, her face etched with worry.
“Hans… are you alright?”
I shrugged, not in the mood.
“Eh… fine.”
‘How am I supposed to counter Regression?’
It’s not like I intended to fight only to subdue him without killing.
The King of the Dead is the final boss—subduing him without killing is far harder than just defeating him.
Even if we subdued him, I had no idea how to proceed.
Sealing a King with a physical body is impossible.
But if we kill him, it’s just another infinite loop.
To us, it’s one battle—but to him, infinite retries.
We might be the ones devoured.
Now I understand why this world was doomed…
My lifeline is the five Seal Stones.
One’s already shattered—so I effectively have four left.
“You seem troubled.”
“I can’t not be. I never expected Regression.”
“Is his Gift really that threatening?”
Mia didn’t grasp how complicated this made things.
Even in web novels, protagonists with Regression eventually crush all enemies, no matter how strong.
Assuming she just didn’t understand the danger, I explained patiently.
“Of course. Think—every time we kill the King, he rewinds time and nullifies our attacks. And that’s the best case… worst case, someone dies.”
As I rubbed my burning forehead in frustration,
I felt a soft touch on my right hand.
Mia gently rubbed her cheek against my palm.
In a calm, caring voice, she said,
“If you’re worried, we’ll figure it out together. If there’s a hardship, we’ll overcome it together.”
Her words left me speechless.
“You’ve been straining alone all this time. Isn’t it time to lean on us a little?”
Surprised by her unexpected maturity, I met her eyes.
Emerald-green irises.
She lightly rubbed her cheek against my hand.
“Don’t be afraid. I understand your mission. For that great cause, I—or anyone—would give our life without hesitation.”
“Mia…”
Her mature, composed demeanor made my heart race.
“I’m afraid… afraid my choice might be wrong. So far, everything flowed as I knew it… but not anymore. Someone among us might die. I’ll do my best, but…”
My greatest fear was someone dying because of my mistake—and the world ending because of my error.
I’d thought defeating the King of the Dead would be easy.
But with Regression, everything became far more complex.
I thought we were stepping toward a bright future—but now it feels like standing at a cliff’s edge.
“So what if we die?”
“Huh?”
“If we die, it’ll be to save the world. If my death saves those left behind—I’d die a hundred, a thousand times.”
Her eyes were resolute.
“If my death can save you—and those we love—I’ll do it without hesitation.”
She smiled brightly.
“Isn’t that how you feel too?”
Her confident, beautiful smile made me stammer like a fool.
“I… I… I’m afraid of death.”
Who among mortals isn’t?
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t let you die.”
She stroked my hair.
“I’m afraid—not just of my death, but of yours too.”
Since arriving here, everything had gone according to my plan.
I’d earned vast wealth and secured the power to protect myself.
I’d assumed the King of the Dead, though troublesome, could be eliminated anytime he showed himself…
But now, I wasn’t sure.
“Heh heh… don’t worry about things that haven’t even happened. Even if something happens to us, we won’t blame you.”
She caressed my cheek.
“So don’t dwell on failure. Let’s focus on how to win—and move forward.”
Mia spoke with perfect sense.
“You’re right. Brooding won’t solve anything anyway.”
I slowly sat up from the bed.
“Thank you, Mia.”
“Oh, it’s nothing! Now… let’s move forward together.”
Seeing her bright smile, I smiled too.
***
“The enemy… has reached the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. Reports say they’ll arrive next week.”
The Emperor’s voice held no tremor.
Indeed, as Hans had said, the army of the dead marched without pillaging villages or attacking cities.
That alone eased Emperor Friedrich’s mind—
but far more reassuring was the presence of the Dragon Lord himself.
The Emperor believed Auros could effortlessly crush liches and undead alike.
“If Lord Auros joins the battle, victory will be swift.”
Watching the carefree high-ranking officials, Auros rested his chin on the table and sighed.
“The army of the dead isn’t just undead.”
Death existing beyond life.
“There are cursed creatures that feed on the souls of law-defying spirits. To claim victory already would invite great sacrifice.”
His warning about beings beyond human comprehension fell on deaf ears.
“But Lord Auros—the strongest being on earth—is fighting for us! And even if the undead are numerous, we have Saint Cecilia! We cannot lose!”
“Yes! Exactly!”
Auros sighed deeply at their blind confidence.
“Haa… Your enemy wields divine power. Even dragons are powerless before a god’s might—yet you remain ignorant.”
“Lord Auros is right,” Cecilia interjected sternly. “Though they worship a false god, divine power cannot be ignored.”
The officials, embarrassed, looked away.
“We aren’t complacent, Saint. But what more can we possibly do?”
The Empire had concentrated all its forces in the capital—troops, weapons, scrolls, supplies, even the Dragon Lord himself.
What else could they do?
“Still…”
“Of course we mustn’t relax. But we won’t fall. Not to liches or death knights.”
“But… what if another Apocalypse Serpent appears like last time?”
The Apocalypse Serpent’s appearance over the capital had been shocking—a monster immune to both magic and physical attacks, unlike anything they’d ever seen.
None had seen a dragon’s true form, but even dragons probably weren’t that long.
A being stretching across the night sky, its tail vanishing beyond sight—what if such creatures returned?
The Emperor simply shrugged.
“Then… Baron Hans will return.”
With the Dragon Lord present, Hans could be summoned anytime if needed.
Yet Cecilia still looked uneasy.
Leah placed a hand on her shoulder and said calmly,
“Cecilia, don’t worry too much. Master left us here for a reason.”
“Right. He must believe we can handle it.”
Leah and Cecilia had grown closer since their recent talk—and with Scarlet joining them, Cecilia reluctantly relented.
‘Worrying won’t solve anything anyway…’
They’d done all they could. Worry wouldn’t change fate.
But she resolved to do more.
“Sigh… I should make more Holy Water.”
Even one vial might save another life.
***
Unable to sleep after dinner, I headed to my study.
Brooding alone in my room yielded no answers.
I’d sketch or write ideas on paper, searching for a way to counter Regression.
Is there truly no way?
If there’s no solution, why summon me here at all?
There’d be no reason to drag a perfectly content Otherworlder from another dimension—
unless the gods, fearing lonely death, dragged a happy man to die with them.
‘Do gods… even die?’
What is Heaven doing?
In Destiny, both Heaven and Hell existed—
content unlocked after defeating the King of the Dead.
If it exists in-game, Heaven and Hell must exist here too.
Then… why don’t the angels intervene?
If the King of the Dead has Regression, shouldn’t Heaven act?
Why burden me with this heavy fate? Do angels just slack off?
Grumbling inwardly, I opened my study door.
My study was dark.
Through the large window behind the desk, a full moon shone.
Drawn to its mystic glow, I approached the window.
So beautiful…
Yet the thought that this world—the beloved setting of Destiny—might perish weighed heavily on my heart.
“It’s… not over yet…”
There must be a reason I was brought here.
Something only a veteran player could do.
Perhaps the gods of this realm summoned me.
As I gazed out the window…
I saw something faintly moving in the garden.
“What’s that?”
Something crawled through the grass.
Covered in black cloth—it looked human.
Daring enough to trespass in my mansion?
I flung open the window and shouted to the guards, pointing at the intruder.
“What are you doing?! There’s an intruder!”
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