Evading the Hero’s Party with Full Effort

Chapter 88

Ch.88 Eternal Death…  

A man with ash-gray hair greeted Selena with a bright smile.  

“Long time no see, Selena.”  

“You’ve been well, Your Eminence?”  

Selena had finally met Cardinal Davinus again after a long absence.  

Noticing the dark circles under his eyes—likely from sleepless nights—she carefully broached the subject.  

“I heard you’ve found the King’s soul.”  

Her usual playful tone with Hans was gone, replaced by stiff formality.  

But Davinus, as if such nuances meant nothing to him, replied without hesitation:  

“That’s right. The time for our God’s return draws near.”  

The final day had come at last.  

To Selena, this meant she would soon reunite with Hans—drowned in agony beneath the sea.  

“I see. I’m ready at any time.”  

Of course, she knew what that truly required: surrendering her body to the King.  

The King, whose physical form had long vanished, needed a vessel to rise again.  

On the day she turned ten in the orphanage, the cult discovered her hidden gift—Infinite Regression—without her even knowing.  

Convinced she was the prophesied vessel, the cult’s leadership raised her with special care.  

Yet everyone—even the ruthless Davinus—knew the horror of being used as a vessel: to have one’s soul suppressed, one’s will erased.  

Davinus looked at her with sorrowful eyes.  

“Selena… I’m truly sorry to demand such a sacrifice from you.”  

Since he’d become Cardinal, they’d always spoken formally to each other.  

Now, his voice carried a deep, mournful weight.  

After all, he’d first met her at the orphanage—they’d known each other for years.  

It wasn’t guilt—it was regret.  

Regret that, in fulfilling God’s will, he had to ask this of her.  

Because it was God’s command.  

“No… no, Brother. You’ve all worked so hard for me all this time. Now that the moment has come… we must drive out the false gods and restore our true God.”  

The orphanage had saved her from starvation as a child.  

There, she learned kindness, humility, and devotion to God.  

To sacrifice herself for that God—to fulfill His will on this earth—was not a burden, but her greatest honor.  

“…I see.”  

His voice trembled with quiet remorse.  

He gave a small nod.  

“We’ll perform the ritual next month.”  

At Davinus’s words, Selena’s eyes flickered faintly.  

She was afraid.  

Afraid her will, her thoughts—her very self—might vanish forever.  

But still—  

“Okay!”  

She answered with the brightest smile she could muster.  

Because only through this sacrifice could she meet Hans again in death.  

Davinus let out a warm, almost relieved chuckle at her smile.  

“Come. Let’s go see the King.”  

***  

“This world isn’t the game’s world. Rather, the game I played was based on this world.”  

The stone tablet in the Dragon Lord’s chamber.  

And the voice that spoke from it.  

Its owner must be a god—though which one, I couldn’t say.  

“Based on it?”  

Cecilia looked confused.  

I shook my head.  

“Yes. First, the Hero slays the Demon King. Then, on the New Continent, Hatchling is kidnapped and killed. That sparks a war between dragons and humans.”  

Leah, who’d met Aria in person, shivered slightly.  

“So…”  

Scarlet chewed her nails anxiously.  

“Does that mean… the crisis is over?”  

Sadly, I shook my head.  

“No. Once the Dragon War ends, the King of the Dead will return.”  

“What?!”  

Cecilia was the first to react to the name ‘King of the Dead.’

Her platinum hair trembled as she paled, shoulders shaking in terror.  

Her sky-blue eyes widened in disbelief.  

“The King of the Dead… do you even understand what that means? It means…”  

“The end of all living things.”  

“N-no… that’s impossible! I—I can’t believe it! Even if Priest Hans says it… the King of the Dead returning?!”  

Leah and Mia exchanged puzzled glances at Cecilia’s panic.  

“What’s the King of the Dead?”  

“Why is the saint so terrified of that name?”  

“I only know from game lore,” I explained. “He was an ancient king who followed the God of Death and tried to wipe out all life. He fell after losing a war against the Church.”  

—Thud!  

Cecilia suddenly slammed the table and stood up.  

Her eyes, usually calm, now quivered with fear.  

“That’s not all! His return means the Prophecy Scroll has begun!”  

The Prophecy Scroll was an in-game text foretelling the King of the Dead’s return and the chaos that would follow.  

“What’s that?” Leah asked.  

“It’s just a prophecy saying the King of the Dead will return,” I said dismissively.  

“But how do you know that?!” Cecilia’s voice rose in shock. “Even in the Papal See, only high-ranking priests know of it!”  

Her expression shifted so fast I almost laughed.  

“Well… I know the future.”  

At that, everyone’s faces froze.  

“Master… so that day, you saved me because…?”  

“Of course. I knew what would happen to you.”  

“Oh…”  

Wait—why is she blushing?  

“And you saved our Elven Kingdom because…?”  

“Because I knew in advance.”  

Mia’s eyes grew strangely soft.  

“And the letters you sent me…?”  

“The original Scarlet was fated for a cruel destiny. So I stepped in.”  

Before I could finish, Cecilia cut in:  

“And your visit to the convent?!”  

“There was a lurking evil spirit targeting you before the King’s return. I went to eliminate it.”  

Cecilia bowed her head, hiding her face in her hands.  

Were they all angry?  

In the original story, right before the Dragon War ended, Cecilia returned to her convent—only to find it already overrun by evil spirits.  

She died there.  

In ‘Destiny’, a game famed for its freedom, there was only one way for the protagonist to prevent that event: the ‘Seduce Cecilia’ questline.  

So no, I didn’t go through all that trouble for nothing.  

An awkward silence fell.  

I glanced around nervously.  

‘Are they mad?’

But they all kept their heads down—faces hidden.  

Ah… is my only fate to be quartered?  

I started plotting my escape.  

‘What do I do?’

We were in the middle of the ocean—nowhere to run.  

If only I still had Altarion’s Staff…  

But Selena took it.  

“One question, Sage. Why were you underwater?”  

At Mia’s words, Nekhuf, Nephert, and I froze.  

If I said it was because of Selena…  

My death would be guaranteed.  

If they found out I’d been tangled with five legs instead of four…  

I couldn’t even imagine the consequences.  

“Haha, nothing much! My sunken ship had conceptual artifacts—I went diving to explore.”  

Mia frowned, about to press further—  

“But Master! It’s time to settle accounts!”  

Leah stood up, fists clenched, eyes blazing.  

Mia nodded and rose too.  

“Well, now that we understand everything… let’s settle this, Sage.”  

One by one, they stood.  

“Huh?”  

—Crack… crack…

I swallowed hard as they cracked their knuckles.  

Sensing my doom, I bolted for the door.  

“Nooo! I told you everything! Spare me!”  

“Don’t you dare run!”  

“How dare you play such tricks and expect to live?!”  

I grabbed the doorknob and twisted—  

—Click!

One step forward—and I’d be free.  

Then someone yanked my collar.  

“Patron… you haven’t forgotten me, have you?”  

Scarlet—specialized in high-speed movement.  

With her here, escape was impossible.  

—Click.

The door shut.  

And then—  

—Nooo! Save me! I’m dying! I’m really dying!

—Don’t worry! I’ll heal you right after!

Thus, I endured hell.  

***  

Selena arrived at Davinus’s chamber with him.  

In the center of the room lay a dark violet orb.  

She eyed it curiously.  

“What is this?”  

“The Soulstone—where the King’s soul is imprisoned.”  

As Davinus slowly lifted the orb…  

it glowed brightly.  

—Why have you awakened Me, Davinus?

“The one You’ve been waiting for has come—Selena.”  

—Ah! So My vessel has arrived? When will the ritual be held?

“There’s an auspicious day next month. We’ll perform it then.”  

—Good. Bring Me to My body quickly. I have words for her.

Davinus turned to Selena.  

“The King wishes to speak with you.”  

She hesitantly reached out and took the orb.  

—Ah… so you are the woman chosen by God?

At the sound of the King’s voice—old, weary, yet commanding—a chilling sensation swept through her body, raising goosebumps.  

‘This, too, is God’s will…’

As she steeled herself against the unease—  

—How intriguing… this man named Hans. A being from another world, who knows this world’s future…

Selena felt discomfort at the King dredging up painful memories.  

“He… the enemy of God… is already dead.”  

The violet orb pulsed once.  

—Yes! Drowned in the depths, trapped in his own ship. You’ve done great service.

“Thank you.”  

—I know you killed the one you loved with tears in your eyes. I know your heart acted for God alone. Your body shall serve Me greatly. But…

The King paused.  

Selena waited calmly.  

—Do not grieve. God will embrace even your adversary. When we step into paradise, your wish shall be fulfilled, and God shall grant you a great reward. Do not sorrow.

Tears of joy streamed down Selena’s cheeks.  

“Eternal death…”  

She whispered softly.  

Davinus echoed her in a hushed voice:  

“Eternal death…”  

—For this is God’s will… Eternal death.

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