Chapter 283

Chapter 283

Chapter 45

The long storm had finally ended.

The red sky that looked as if it could bring about the end of the world at any moment had cleared, and the black clouds dispersed, allowing sunlight to pour through.

“……Ah!”

“I-it’s over. We won!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaah!”

The knights who had been there shouted with tears in their eyes as they basked in the sunlight.

At last, the soldiers of Raigle raised a cheer loud enough to shake the heavens.

“Phew… Looks like it’s over.”

“How… did this happen?”

With a deep sigh, Cardinal Gracia threw the axe she had been using onto the ground.

Palador Raigle looked at her with a bewildered expression and asked,

“The monsters suddenly disappeared all at once… What kind of miracle is this?”

“Look over there.”

Following her gaze, Palador turned his head.

He soon spotted the floating island collapsing at the very edge of his vision.

“The floating island……”

“I told you, didn’t I? To trust me and hold out.”

Looking at the dumbfounded Palador, Gracia gave a faint smile.

Her deep sea-colored eyes, softly shining, reminded her of a promise made by a certain man.

“……Let’s go. We have a lot of work to do.”

It was simple enough to explain how the party members scattered throughout the continent had appeared here.

The gods of Minis’s faction, whom Glenn had sent, had moved quickly and taken over their roles.

“So, while we were returning to Wordsworth, we saw the floating island that had been near the border moving toward Istierenne.”

“Brother had told us not to worry about it before, but I thought we needed at least some information, so I entered with Sister Lutzeria……”

At that moment, they had met Rowen and Penelope.

They traveled together and met Romina at the entrance, then entered the place.

“Uh… I’m glad you made it, but shall we get out first?”

Glenn escaped the collapsing Symposion together with the assembled party members and returned to their base, Denhelder Fortress.

Normally, the journey would have taken more than a day, but Knox used his power to fold space and move them there instantly.

Tris sincerely rejoiced at Glenn’s party returning and welcomed everyone.

Fortunately, the moment Glenn separated Knox from the Heavenly Law, the black monsters had disappeared without a trace.

With this, they had succeeded in protecting the Holy Papal State from one great disaster.

“However, it’s not over yet.”

“Knox is right. There’s one last thing we have to take care of.”

Yuelos, the God of Fate.

Only after stopping him—the mastermind behind this incident, who had fled with the stopped Heavenly Law and was plotting to destroy the world—would everything truly be over.

Knox explained everything about Yuelos to Glenn and the party members right there.

He explained what had happened in Heaven, what happened after Heaven fell, and just how dangerous the plan Yuelos was preparing was.

Soon, a heavy silence descended upon the room.

“……”

A floating island with enough destructive power to destroy the world in an instant.

And Yuelos, an Upper God possessing overwhelming power capable of creating such a thing.

These were matters at a realm far too high for any of them to reach with their own strength.

“Elder… B-but Lord Knox can use his original power too, so won’t everything be all right?”

Penelope spoke with an uneasy smile.

However, Knox shook his head.

“My follower. Unfortunately, the current Yuelos has surpassed the level of an Upper God that I knew.”

When Knox confronted Yuelos, he had assessed his full strength through his Divine Eyes.

He said that he had immediately realized that Yuelos had become stronger than any being currently existing in the world.

“Of course, I have also regained my original power, so a battle between us is possible. But to be honest, I cannot guarantee victory.”

“B-but it’s also true that Yuelos backed down because of Lord Knox, when he was trying to kill Elder, isn’t it?”

“That was a lie. He is extremely reluctant to come into contact with Glenn Wordsworth. The Heavenly Law was his objective from the beginning. If I had recklessly attacked him there, I would have been defeated.”

“Then even if we go after him, can we really win?”

A shadow fell over Penelope’s face.

The other party members wore similar expressions.

Then Romina knocked on the table.

“Why is everyone acting like this? Have you forgotten that we have a trump card?”

“A trump card…?”

“Yes. Right here.”

As she spoke, Romina turned her amber eyes toward Glenn.

“The being who possesses the Unknown that Yuelos is so terribly afraid of.”

“……”

Glenn, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, smiled faintly and opened his mouth.

“Yeah. That bastard is irrationally afraid of coming into contact with me. Then I suppose it would be polite to keep pressing him until he’s terrified. So I’m planning to go after that bastard with Knox.”

Yuelos had become stronger than even Knox.

At this point, the only thing that might have a chance of defeating him was the Unknown power Glenn possessed.

“And you guys wait here. I’m sure there’ll be someone who wants to help, but honestly, considering the level of danger, I don’t know how much help you’d actually be.”

Everyone here was a powerful individual between 8 and 9 stars.

Considering their individual abilities, each of them was capable of leading an entire faction.

But if their opponent was a monster beyond all standards, someone who surpassed even Knox and possessed the power of causality, things were completely different.

Even Knox standing right beside him had only been someone Glenn could barely grab by the collar once when fighting with all his strength.

“If you come along, you’ll only die.”

It was something Glenn didn't want to say.

But if he didn't, these people would never give up.

“……”

Amid the silence that filled the room, Glenn calmly looked at Knox.

“How much time do we have left?”

“Not much. We must depart as soon as your condition recovers.”

“Good. Then tomorrow at noon……”

BOOM!

Suddenly, someone slammed the table.

It was Rowen.

Glenn sighed.

“……Phew.”

He had hoped they would quietly accept his decision.

Apparently, that was impossible.

“Yes. You are right. Even if we followed you, we would not be of much help.”

Rowen bit his lip in frustration.

But he soon swallowed his anger and raised his red eyes to look at Glenn.

“However. The person who saved my life says he is going into a place where he may die. As someone who owes his life to you, I cannot simply sit here and wait for your return……”

“That day, you told me to live. You told me not to die, but to live and repay my debt.”

“And yet you! You are once again going somewhere from which you may never return.”

Rowen placed a hand over his chest.

“Every time I watched you cross the line between life and death alone, I was consumed by helplessness.”

“Every time, I comforted myself. You’ll come back like you always do. Someday, I’ll catch up. Someday, I’ll become stronger than you and repay the debt I owe you.”

“But that time never comes. As time passes, you only grow farther away.”

“So I made up my mind. I will never let you go alone again.”

Rowen desperately tried to clear his blurry vision and clutched his chest.

“This is a battle at a distant realm that I cannot even reach, but this second life was something I received from you, so I have no regrets.”

“You can consume my life. If I can serve as your stepping stone even for a single moment, that will be enough. So……”

Glenn looked away.

Rowen continued.

“Take me with you.”

“……Ha.”

Glenn had many things he wanted to say.

That they weren't going there to die.

That they should stop worrying and wait for them to return.

That having them there might distract him so much that he wouldn't even be able to fight properly.

But none of those words came out.

“……It’s the same for me. If it weren’t for you, Brother, I would have died that day.”

While Glenn remained silent, it was Lutzeria’s turn.

“No. Before meeting you, Brother, I was already dead. I was nothing but an empty shell of a saintess who possessed only holy power. That was who I was. But……”

Glenn had expected this.

That was why he had planned to firmly refuse them.

But once he began hearing their words, his lips simply wouldn't move.

“……So I will go with you too.”

“I feel the same.”

From Lutzeria to Ridenhall.

From Ridenhall to Penelope.

Those who had gained new lives through the great and small miracles Glenn had created each spoke sincerely about their own reasons.

Amid those embarrassing and painfully heartfelt confessions, Glenn couldn't say a word.

Eventually, the turn reached the last person, Romina.

“……”

It was a scene filled with heartwarming but embarrassing confessions.

Romina blushed as if embarrassed, then spoke with a sigh.

“……I’m going with you. So know that.”

“Ah, damn……”

It wasn't anything particularly dramatic.

But Glenn lowered his head.

“Follow me and help or die, do whatever the hell you want. You idiots……”

Maybe he had raised them wrong.

Thinking that, Glenn turned his head and messed up his hair.

He had thought they were the best possible members.

But now that he looked at them, they were nothing but a bunch of idiots.

“Then I’ll go too……”

“Ah, Miss Tris, you can’t.”

Just as another idiot was about to open her mouth, Romina firmly stopped her.

“But……”

“No.”

“You cannot.”

“You should stay here……”

“You remain here.”

Faced with the barrage of objections, the 6-star Tris looked utterly dejected.

“W-why am I the only one……”

“Honestly… they never listen.”

On top of the tower of Denhelder Fortress, Glenn sighed as he felt the wind.

“It was rather amusing. Contrary to appearances, you seem to be quite well-liked.”

Knox, standing beside him, spoke.

His expression remained emotionless, but somehow he seemed to be enjoying himself.

“……You look like you’re enjoying this.”

“Do I? Honestly, I am not sure. I do not think I am in a position to feel happy.”

“……Is it because of Radeo?”

“I heard that I erased him with my own hands.”

“Why bring that up now?”

“It is the first time I have killed a companion.”

Glenn’s eyes widened for a moment.

“Oh, really?”

That was unexpected.

After the Paradise War had begun, Glenn had assumed Knox must have erased many gods from Minis’s faction.

“No. I did not personally end their lives. But I caused them to die, so perhaps it is the same as killing them.”

Knox gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Glenn could not know what Knox had been feeling or thinking after living for thousands of years and losing even Minis.

So there was nothing Glenn could say.

He simply stared into the distance and felt the cold wind against his face.

“……There is something I am curious about.”

“What?”

“After you stop Yuelos and save the world… what are you planning to do?”

It was a question containing many things.

“Do I really need to tell you? Can’t you see it with your eyes?”

“I tried. But perhaps because of the Unknown, I cannot see through you.”

“……Really? Hmm……”

Of course, Glenn had already thought about it.

“I’ll just… rest for a while.”

In terms of time, Glenn had lived as Glenn for less than half a year.

Honestly, it wasn't a very long time.

But it felt like everything had been compressed into that short period.

“I’ve been running around like crazy this whole time. I want to go eat some good food, sleep in late all day, take long naps… Maybe if something goes wrong somewhere once in a while, I’ll deal with it and live like that.”

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean, ‘is that all’? Are you crazy?”

For a god who had lived for thousands of years and experienced all kinds of things, that might seem insignificant.

But for Glenn, who had to wake before sunrise to train and control his holy demonic power through meditation before going to sleep, a lazy everyday life was the dream he had always wanted.

“……You are angry over that?”

“Honestly, you crossed the line pretty badly. But why are you suddenly curious about that?”

“Crossed the line…? Regardless, I was simply curious about how you would use that power.”

Glenn raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? Ah…… I see what you meant. So… is my answer enough?”

“If you are interested in such an ordinary life, far more ordinary than I expected, then yes.”

“You bastard…… Anyway, yeah. I have no intention of invading the demon lands or anything. I just plan to live without causing too much trouble.”

“Then that is enough.”

“You were going to fight me if it wasn't, weren't you? So what are you going to do?”

Knox did not answer.

Just as Glenn had done earlier, he simply looked into the distance, lost in thought.

“……What? You don't want to talk about it?”

“I will tell you later. It is cold.”

With those words, Knox went inside.

“……God my ass. Since when are gods cold?”

As Glenn grumbled toward Knox’s back, he suddenly felt someone's gaze from below.

“……Hmm?”

Inside Denhelder Fortress.

There stood a familiar-looking man, staring at him.

Glenn narrowed his eyes.

“That… isn't that Mors?”

Mors, who should have been creating the Unknown Artifact with Slypherinne at her temple, had come here.

‘If that’s the case……’

The corner of Glenn’s mouth twitched.