novelraw Chapter 197
Chapter 197
Ch.197 My Eyes Met Selena’s Crimson Gaze
Days later, we arrived in Portland.
Last time with Selena, we’d rushed to book a passenger ship—
because…
—The Slave Liberation War finally ended.
—Good. Food and magic grass prices will drop.
Thanks to the Hero Party’s chaos.
“By the way—didn’t you take Leah of the Hero Party as your disciple?”
“Yeah.”
Selena crossed her arms, eyes half-lidded.
“Wasn’t it right here? When you flatly denied knowing the Hero Party members?”
I’d denied it then—but met Nephert on the ship immediately after.
“How many secrets are you hiding from me?”
Her words made my feet tingle.
“Any other hidden stories?”
Was her upturned eye corner just my imagination?
It felt real enough.
“Ha ha…”
I smiled awkwardly, mind racing.
Should I confess everything? I’d get caught anyway—
and she might revisit my memories.
Since she knew about Destiny, revealing the truth wasn’t bad—
though I’d soften the details.
“Actually… I know all the Hero Party members.”
Selena scanned me head to toe, arms still crossed.
“Oh? I figured as much.”
She tilted her chin, urging me to continue.
‘Ah… I’m doomed, aren’t I?’
Her eerie tone unnerved me.
Typically, you shouldn’t reveal such things—
but if caught, confessing first seemed wiser.
Yet her aura was sharp.
“So? How’d you know them?”
“Well… Scarlet was notoriously hard in Destiny—
rumored to be a powerless hero…”
It sounded like a cowardly excuse from a cheating husband—
awkward and hollow.
“So you approached her? Not because she’s pretty?”
Suspicious, she watched me shake my head.
“Not at all! The Demon King in the human world can’t die by Equality—
only by the Hero’s power. I approached her to protect the world.”
“Hmm? Really? Then Leah?”
I recounted their fates:
“Leah, without me, meets a cruel master, suffers abuse,
becomes a misandrist witch—burning anything that annoys her.”
“Cecilia returns to a nunnery after slaying the Demon King—
but it’s corrupted by demons, leading to her tragic death.”
“Mia watches the World Tree burn by mercenary-mage collusion,
her elven kingdom falls—driving her to skin humans as a hobby.”
I ticked off their original fates solemnly.
“Scarlet needs those three to defeat the Demon King.
And Cecilia’s divine power is essential against the King of the Dead—
only she can halt his undead army.”
Though weakest in combat, her survival gave hope—
the saint beloved by gods was irreplaceable.
But Selena looked shocked.
“What? They were fated for such misery?”
“Yes! So I intervened. If the Demon King annihilated humanity,
the Church of Death—and everything—would vanish.
You understand, right? I didn’t want to get involved with those lunatics—haha…”
Of course—it made sense.
All Hero Party members were stunningly beautiful, but utterly insane.
How did such crazed women exist?
The gods must’ve been mad.
“Hmph… but they’re all pretty?”
Testing my loyalty, she watched me chuckle.
“They’re insane. Beauty isn’t everything.”
Seeing my expression, she half-believed me.
“Really? Don’t men like all pretty women?”
“Don’t say that. They’re truly the worst.”
My earnest reaction made her smile faintly.
“Then I’m glad.”
“Huh?”
“You… only like me, right?”
‘Huh? I don’t even like you.’
How could I love a fanatic?
I’d help her become self-sufficient if brought to my world—
but marriage was different.
Despite her beauty and kindness, she’d likely join a cult.
Marrying a cult fanatic meant ruin.
“What’s that look?”
Selena glared.
“Ha ha—just you’re so pretty. Anyway, look there! Remember that, Selena?”
I spotted the candy shop she once loved.
“Oh! The candy shop!”
She dashed toward its sign like an excited girl.
She adored sweets—
last time, she’d beamed eating candy like a child tasting sugar for the first time.
Inside, Selena’s eyes sparkled at the display.
‘Wow… it’s that good?’
A mid-twenties clerk approached.
“Looking for anything?”
“Hmm… do you have peppermint and pumpkin candies?”
Didn’t she eat those last time?
My memory was fuzzy.
“Of course! This way.”
As they left, I examined the shelves—
orange, red, white, and multicolored candies
in small glass jars, each uniquely shaped.
‘Pepper… candy?’
Some candies were unidentifiable.
Could you even make candy with pepper? Wouldn’t it be spicy?
Honestly, I was curious.
“Oh? Want to taste-test?”
I pointed to a jar full of pepper candies.
“Can I try that?”
“Pepper candy? Wait.”
She took a candy from the jar—
translucent with black specks.
‘Are those pepper grains?’
I popped it in my mouth—
but… damn… was it because this was a mindscape?
No flavor at all—not even sweetness.
As if unknown tastes couldn’t be rendered.
“It’s… delicious.”
Though flavorless, I lied politely.
She smiled gently.
“Glad to hear. Nobles love it.”
‘Pepper candy… Did I accidentally glimpse it before?’
If I couldn’t taste it, I surely hadn’t eaten it.
Later, I bought Selena’s favorite candies and headed to the harbor.
“Hmph…”
The vast ocean stretched before us—
where I’d boarded a ship to recover the lost Concept Artifact,
the Trident of the Sea God, and got attacked by Selena.
On a bench, Selena spread her arms wide, delighted.
“This is truly delicious!”
Candy here differed from modern candy—
while ours cost 100 won, these were luxury-priced.
Gazing at the sea, I broached carefully:
“Selena, you said you followed the God of Death due to the world’s injustice—right?”
My serious tone made her turn, round eyes meeting mine.
“Yeah… I did…”
She slowly looked back at the sea, reluctant to discuss it.
“Your life was unjust—but was everyone’s?”
Selena stayed silent, eyes on the waves.
“Just now—the candy shop owner, Captain Carlos—
they faced injustice but overcame it. Aren’t they happy now?”
—Caw… caw…
Seagulls cried overhead, filling the silence.
“So? You want me to stop?”
Her uncertain voice made me nod softly.
“Yes. You must stop—because you’re unsure about your god, aren’t you?”
Selena’s lips trembled, then she sighed deeply.
“Haah… yeah. You’re right.”
She looked to the sky.
“I don’t know if gambling everyone’s lives is right.”
Silence settled between us.
“Then what about Carlos’ perseverance?”
“Perseverance?”
“Yes. Before I intervened, he nearly abandoned his dream, right?”
She turned.
“Did he?”
“But meeting me—an accident—let him fulfill his dream and clear debts.
He never gave up. Yes, the Hero Party caused him despair and injustice—
but he ultimately succeeded through his own effort.”
She frowned.
“But you made it happen.”
I shook my head, smiling.
“No—I sought him out.”
“I don’t understand. You had divine power and wanted the Arctic—
so he just got lucky, right?”
She misunderstood.
“No. I needed to reach the Arctic, and he was the only captain willing to go this season.
Others wouldn’t sail that route—even for a fortune.
Who risks their life on such dangerous seas?
I had to find him—the only one dreaming of Arctic conquest.”
I could have hired a new crew with vast wealth—
but recruiting sailors would take ages.
Seafarers never board a ship led by an inexperienced captain—
who’d trust their life to a novice?
“He never abandoned his dream—so I chose him, and he succeeded. Our goals simply aligned.”
Selena fell into quiet contemplation.
“So… despite injustice, he achieved his dream by believing in it.
Nephert too—he dreamed of being an adventurer, went blind, nearly quit—but overcame it.
He conquered injustice. So…”
“You want me to overcome injustice too?”
I nodded at her furrowed brow.
“Yes. What do you think of my world?”
“It seemed amazing—more advanced and wondrous than I could imagine.”
“It’s more advanced than here—but wasn’t always.
It progressed by overcoming difficulties.”
My eyes met Selena’s crimson gaze.
“Humans are adaptable creatures. We break through hardships to evolve.
Injustice isn’t inherently bad—
it’s what humans shatter to advance.”
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