For a moment, Kunra’s words pierced through Cadel’s chest like a sharp blade, making his head spin with dizziness. Cadel lowered his head and slowly drew in a breath. He couldn’t feel Kunra’s gaze on him; Kunra was merely staring into empty space as though he had already given up everything.

It wasn’t silence that filled the cavern. It was Kunra’s overwhelming despair. His gloom spread without stopping, growing heavier and more suffocating.

What had happened to him? What memories had he recalled? Cadel felt an unbearable mix of curiosity and worry.

“Why do you get to decide my surrender?”

The stronger emotion burning inside him was anger, filling his chest to the brim. His frustration erupted, and Cadel lifted his head, his dimmed green eyes glaring at Kunra.

“Why do you get to decide my defeat? You say the system won’t leave this world until it collapses? Even if that’s true, I will fight until the end. I will use every last bit of my strength to stop the system from destroying this world!”

“……It’s pointless. No, even if everything, no, the entire world unites, it cannot succeed.”

“Don’t talk like that!”

Cadel’s face twisted with grief. Tears welled up in his eyes, shimmering like crystal, and his gaze was full of resentment as he shook Kunra by the collar.

“You said this was the last chance! You said we should save the world together. You said we would stop the disaster! So why are you talking like this now? This really is the last chance. If we don’t finish everything here, we won’t get another opportunity to reclaim the future!”

“You were only able to hold onto hope because you didn’t know anything.”

To Kunra, all of the words he had once spoken, the belief that they could save the world, the hope that the 210th Cadel Lytos was somehow different, were all nothing more than empty illusions.

“Stop trying. Complete the mission you’ve been given and leave this world. Return to your original world and forget everything.”

“What……?”

Indeed, the 210th Cadel Lytos. This soul of Shin Yeohwan was unlike any of the others. But because of that, Kunra didn’t want to give him any more hope.

This soul might have the potential to lead them to victory in this war. He might have the strength to return to his original world and live a peaceful life. Kunra couldn’t ask him to risk it all in a battle that was destined to fail.

“Your kindness will not save anything here. So stop worrying about anyone other than yourself. Just focus on surviving and going back safely.”

Kunra had no intention of passing on the memories he had recalled. Even if he did, there was nothing Cadel could do. It might even provoke the system’s wrath, dragging out a fight that could have been over quickly.

He had been the one to make this human suffer all these pointless pains with his own arrogance. Kunra didn’t want to heap any more suffering onto him.

“……Kunra.”

Cadel couldn’t understand why Kunra had changed so drastically. He seemed like a completely different person now, so pitifully weak. He no longer looked like the strongest being who had always supported him and the world.

“Why are you doing this?”

Tears finally fell. To give up everything? To say they’d lose? To be told to forget everything and just focus on surviving alone? Cadel couldn’t accept any of it.

“I have people I love here. And…… I think you might be one of them.”

His throat tightened with emotion. Cadel gripped Kunra’s trembling hand and, with desperation in his eyes, he pleaded, gazing into his face, hoping for some of the usual confidence that always seemed to radiate from him.

“I don’t want to give up, even if what I want is an impossible ideal. Even if my efforts, my sacrifices amount to nothing…… I won’t stop fighting. So please, don’t give up.”

“……”

“You love this world too, don’t you? You want to protect it. That’s why it’s so painful for you now because you realize that it might not be possible.”

Kunra met Cadel’s desperate gaze. There was something in his eyes that reminded him of himself from the past — the self that had fought to protect this world. The difference now was that his wish was laced with warmth and affection, not arrogance.

“Help me, Kunra. It’s not just you. This is my last chance too. Help me fight, so I can protect the people I love…… so I can at least try.”

“……This is not your world.”

“I don’t care about that! There are people here, real, living people. I’m just a person from another world, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up the fight.”

Why was it that this mere foreigner, someone who had always been a burden to the weight of fate, now had such a deep, desperate wish for the safety of a world that wasn’t even his own? Kunra found himself, for the first time, questioning that very idea.

He, who had spent his entire life protecting the world and loved it so dearly, even spoke the words of giving up. Yet, how could this human, who had only stayed for a few years and loved only a few people, fight so desperately?

Was it because he hadn’t experienced the dire defeat and overwhelming fear of existence? No. For this human, this war had instilled intense fear multiple times, and Cadel had to live with the threat of defeat again and again.

“I swore to protect it with everything I have. Even if my life, happiness, and future are all taken from me, I can’t fight just to survive alone, can I?”

Yes. He was simply strong. Even though he had been broken and knocked down many times, he would rise again without resting, shaking off the wounds and dirt. When it became too much to bear, he took the hands of those who saved him and stood up again, even if it meant crying. He overcame the torment that ate away at his soul.

Compared to the human before him, he was an overwhelmingly weak being. The years he had lived and the power he had didn’t matter at all. The moment he realized this, the face of the human in front of him, sobbing pitifully, became engraved in his mind.

“I’m sorry.”

Without meaning to, the words of apology slipped out. Cadel, startled, trembled, as if unsure of how to respond.

“What are you sorry for……?”

Cadel fumbled with his own hands, not even wiping away the endless tears, gasping for breath as he sobbed violently. It was a pathetic sight, yet strangely, Kunra didn’t feel any pity.

“I’m sorry for showing such a pathetic side in front of you. For forcing you to give up. And…… for not believing in your will.”

It was only then, staring at this crying mess, that Kunra felt something he had never experienced in his entire life: a sense of security. For the first time, the protector of the world wanted to rely on someone. Was he finally going mad?

“I asked for your help, then tried to back out first. ……It’s astonishingly pathetic. No wonder the god of the other world had to intervene.”

“……”

“I don’t plan to share the information I’ve learned with you. It’s far too dangerous for a vessel.”

“……But it seems like important information.”

“It’s important. To me. But not to you. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing, and move forward, as you always do. You don’t need to know the ridiculous past of this pathetic one.”

Kunra pulled his hand away and gently ruffled Cadel’s hair. The large, warm hand softly caressed his head, and Cadel pressed his lips together as if trying to hold back something. Kunra tenderly stroked his ear, cupped his cheek, and wiped away the soaked tears with his thumb.

“Think of it as a fevered dream.”

Unfortunately, the scars of defeat still remained with Kunra. No matter how hard Cadel tried, no matter how much Kunra helped him, he didn’t think they could retrieve the lost half of his soul, stolen by the system.

Still, Kunra decided to help Cadel.

“……The journey we’re taking together will be both the first and the last. So we mustn’t give up.”

He had come to admire Cadel’s strength. Having faced despair time and time again, Cadel’s resolve, built through endless struggles, was something Kunra didn’t want to trample on. This human, loving such a weak god of a small world, deserved to be helped as much as Kunra could manage.

Even if the end led to the collapse of the world, Kunra wanted to stand by Cadel’s side and watch, until the very end, as his unbreakable will persisted. If his strength could give Kunra courage, then perhaps, just perhaps…

“……Don’t ever have such fevered dreams again. You can live without sleeping, can’t you? If you close your eyes for more than 10 seconds, I’ll smack you, so watch out.”

Kunra smiled softly in front of the grumbling Cadel, who was speaking in a hoarse voice. For the first time, the human he could rely on emitted a strong scent of hope.

Kunra had said that even if all possibilities of Demon Realm’s resurrection were eradicated, the system couldn’t be permanently banished from this world. The system would always find a spark of conflict to burn the world.

But if they could prevent the resurrection of Demon Realm completely, even if only briefly, they could temporarily block the system’s influence. Kunra told Cadel he needed that short period of time. He didn’t explain why, but Cadel simply nodded in silence, without pressing for details.

Cadel trusted him. Kunra loved this world, and just as Cadel fought for his companions, Kunra would fight for the world without any doubt.

‘If I send some of my energy to Demon Realm now, I could find the seed of its resurrection more quickly, but if I use my power too early, the system might intervene.’

Kunra had decided to help with the exploration, under the pretext of lending his strength, once Cadel descended into the Demon Realm. In addition to the assumption that the Demon King’s heir was still alive, there might be other factors for resurrection.

Once everything was settled, Cadel rented out an entire tavern to gather his companions.

The final battle that would bring an end to the Demon Realm war. No matter how long it dragged on, it wouldn’t be beneficial. Everyone would do their best to bring an end to the war. So, ultimately……

‘The day of parting isn’t far off.’

Once this war ends and the system can be eradicated, the soul that remained here due to the power of the system will undoubtedly return to its original world, regardless of his own will.

That was why every day was precious. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with his companions.

“Is this the last supper?”

Amidst the noisy companions who always grew rowdy when they gathered, a soft voice reached his ear. Without realizing it, Cadel tensed and gripped the glass tighter. Slowly turning his head, his eyes met Garuel’s, who was wearing a faint smile.

“The last supper?” 

“The last before the war. We won’t be able to drink a proper sip of alcohol in Demon Realm, after all.”

“Ah……”

At the word ‘last’, Cadel felt an inexplicable sting, and he seemed to shrink in on himself. With an awkward smile, he spoke.

“You’re going all out, right? It won’t take long. After the war ends, we’ll go back to the Human Realm……”

They’d just sit together, enjoy food and drinks, and chat all day long. It was such a simple thought, yet he couldn’t voice it. It felt as if something was constricting his throat. Suddenly, he wondered what would happen if, after the war, he disappeared. How would they react? How much would they suffer? How much would they resent him?

The thought of them, unknowingly wilting away, made him want to tell them everything right there and then.

“……Knight Commander?”

But he couldn’t do that. If he told them he would disappear at the end of the war, they would avoid the battle at all costs. He knew his companions’ tendencies better than anyone. They might even make the wrong decision, one that would keep the war going longer.

“Are you…… crying?”

So he couldn’t tell them. The sorrow of that fact weighed heavily on his heart. It wasn’t because he couldn’t lighten his burden — it was that he couldn’t bear to think of them, left behind unknowingly, not being able to enjoy the peace they’d regained, living in misery. Just imagining it made his chest ache.

“Com, Commander? What’s wrong? Did Garuel say something perverted or something?”

“Is that so, huh? You shameless thing! I’ll freeze you to death this time!”

“Eh? I could never have said such a thing. I’m a gentleman above all!”

“Everyone, just quiet down for a second. Leader, what’s going on? Did something bad happen? Don’t bottle it up — talk about it……”

The concerns of his companions quickly died down. Cadel, who had unknowingly wiped away his tears in a panic, blinked in confusion. The surroundings grew dark in an instant. In the quiet that descended, one voice stood out.

“Don’t cry, Cadel.”

The walls of silence surrounded him. In this dark, narrow space, only Cadel and Yozen existed.

Yozen approached and gently pulled Cadel’s head into his arms. When Cadel rested his cheek on his firm abdomen, the warmth felt just as kind as Yozen’s heart.

“You don’t need to say anything. If you want to cry alone, you can do that whenever. I’ll protect you.”

At the whisper-like comfort, Cadel’s tears flowed again. He wrapped his arms around Yozen’s waist and rubbed his wet face against Yozen’s stomach.

Yozen would know what he was feeling without needing any words. He would know how terrified Cadel was of the future that awaited them. Just that was enough to comfort him.

“But don’t hurt alone. Let me do everything I can to make sure you don’t hurt. For me…… that will be enough.”

“……Yozen.”

“Yeah.”

“When this war ends, promise me you’ll be happy. Promise me you’ll live happily, for your whole life, until you die.”

“I’m already happy enough. This is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

“……”

“But I promise. I’ll be happy by your side until the day I die.”

At the answer that didn’t satisfy him, Cadel’s lips twisted. With a pout, he tugged at the fabric of Yozen’s clothes and looked up at him through his tear-streaked face, submerged in the dark.

“Say you’ll be happy even without me.”

“That……”

“Yozen.”

“……Alright.”

After gently wiping Cadel’s face, Yozen let out a soft sigh before continuing.

“If you weren’t here, I’d have a really hard time, but if you want me to be happy, I’ll do it. But I’ll always carry your memory with me. Even in a world without you, I’ll live remembering the times we had together. As the memory of you fades, so too will my happiness, but I won’t forget it, not until the very end. ……I’ll be happy until I die.”

Even after hearing the answer he wanted, Cadel wasn’t happy. Instead, he broke down crying even harder, burying himself deeper into Yozen’s arms.

After a while, Yozen, who had been holding Cadel, slowly moved his head. The walls of silence were trembling. The shock from the outside created ripples in the stillness. Yozen, who had been about to reinforce the silence with stronger barriers, changed his mind.

Beyond the disappearing walls, the urgent figures of his companions appeared. They looked from Yozen to Cadel in his embrace, before separating them with various jeers.

In the new turmoil, Cadel gradually regained his composure. He didn’t feel embarrassed by the emotions that had suddenly overwhelmed him. He was too scared of the impending separation to feel anything but fear.

“So, Leader. It’s not a big deal, right?”

At Lumen’s question, the noisy atmosphere immediately settled. Cadel, feeling the gazes of his subordinates, caught his breath with difficulty. He blinked his tear-streaked eyes and fidgeted with his hands. After hesitating for a while, he cautiously opened his mouth.

“I want to stay with all of you after the war ends. I want to drink together, joke around, and talk all day long. I’m…… afraid that I might not have a future.”

The sincere words, shaking with fear, changed the expressions of his subordinates in different ways. Some froze, some contorted, while others seemed to lose all energy, looking dazed.

“I know this isn’t something a commander should be saying. But…… I want you to understand. The reason I’m so scared right now is that I love all of you, and I love the time I’m spending with you. More than anyone here, I don’t want to lose this moment.”

So even if I leave and abandon you, it won’t be by my own will. I want you to know that. That was his honest desire. Even in the world where he would disappear, he wanted them to remember him and love him forever. He, too, would do the same.

The drinking party ended naturally when Cadel rose first, and everyone slowly dispersed. Though it was the last supper before the war, the hearts of the scattered companions were heavy. The knights each spent their time alone in their respective spaces.

Returning to the castle’s annex, Lumen sat on a bench in the garden and looked up at the clear night sky. He touched the statue that still stood where he had awkwardly held the inauguration ceremony with Cadel. After a sigh, he drew his sword and ran his fingers over the thin blade, closing his eyes softly.

Van often entrusted the greatsword to the blacksmith. He repeatedly asked if the blade had been damaged in the rough battles or if the grip had loosened. He urged the blacksmith to check it carefully several times. Van never left the blacksmith’s side and watched as the greatsword was sharpened even further in the blacksmith’s hands.

Garuel hadn’t left the tavern. He sat alone in the empty place, silently sipping the remaining liquor. No matter how much he drank, the intoxication didn’t come. A faint trace of pain appeared in his gaze as he stared blankly into the void.

Despite the late hour, the streets of the capital were bustling. Yozen secretly moved through the crowd, unnoticed by anyone. He didn’t want to be seen, and they didn’t notice him either. Without saying a word, he walked, feeling the life of the city around him. The laughter, the voices of conversations, and occasionally the sound of sobbing. He walked on, not stopping until the dawn.

Lydon stood on the rooftop of the royal castle, in a place where no one could reach, looking down at the view below. His always smiling face was now expressionless, and he hadn’t brought his favorite snacks. Without uttering a single word, he observed the slowly changing colors of the sky and the streets below, gradually losing their liveliness. There wasn’t a trace of joy in his cold, red eyes.

While everyone else stayed up through the night to greet the coming morning, Cadel did not. He forced himself to seek sleep that wouldn’t come, then opened his eyes, his condition slightly better than before.

He didn’t need to indulge in sentimentality. The final battle he would face required no such thoughts.

On the day of the Stone of Peace retrieval mission.

Cadel, dressed in his uniform, looked at his reflection in the mirror. His shiny black hair, sharp gray eyes, and cold expression. He had once thought that revealing his true identity as Cadel Lytos was his final goal, but now it didn’t matter.

Whatever form he took, whatever appearance, he turned around without hesitation and left the room.