Chapter 114: Not the Protagonist, but the Villain: "Your Original Role... Was the Villain."

Thanks to the convenient spatial ability, they returned to the residence in a single second.

An Ruo felt as though he'd caught sight of a white figure at the very end.

"What's wrong?"

Supporting his back, Ulysses asked with concern.

"I think... I heard something?"

An Ruo wasn't entirely sure.

"Maybe I imagined it. It's nothing. Nothing important."

It was probably just some Male Zerg cursing him.

Ulysses thought calmly. When the male looked at him, he slowly withdrew his hand.

An Ruo thought about it for a moment but couldn't remember anything.

It had been an unfamiliar voice.

Yet, for no reason, it had felt strangely familiar.

He looked around the familiar room, finally relaxing, then raised a hand and removed his mask.

The true face of a god was revealed before him.

For an instant, breathing stopped.

He had already been breathtakingly beautiful while wearing the mask, beautiful enough to inspire endless imagination. One would have thought nothing could surpass that expectation.

Yet the moment the mask came off...

...the impact became even greater.

Even Ulysses, someone who had never cared much about appearances, lost himself for a brief moment under the overwhelming beauty at such close range.

Only after noticing the wall behind the desk did he come back to himself.

"Will you hang today's photograph on the wall?"

Ulysses asked of his own accord.

An Ruo knew he meant the photo of the two of them.

He actually had many pictures he wanted to display...

...but those required Ulysses' own permission.

Because he was the only Zerg who ever visited his residence.

"That depends on you. Do you mind if I hang your photo on my wall?"

An Ruo asked.

Ulysses had never expected him to ask for his opinion.

Male Zergs usually acted first.

They never asked female Zergs.

"You may. Of course you may."

"Alright. I'll put it up in a moment."

An Ruo spoke, only to notice the Marshal hadn't moved.

He was simply watching him, making no sign of leaving.

"So... should I hang it up now?"

Ulysses lowered his eyes politely and nodded.

"I'll trouble you, then."

An Ruo: "..."

Something felt... oddly off.

The great villain somehow seemed...

...pretending.

...A little tea-like.

An Ruo blamed it on his own imagination.

The Marshal was simply gentle and courteous with everyone.

Easygoing.

An Ruo took out the photograph and matching frame, then mounted it on the wall.

Rather than hanging it, it simply adhered to the metal prison wall by itself.

Among all the homemade holographic images he'd created, this professionally customized one looked especially refined and eye-catching.

It even moved.

The image replayed their expressions and movements during those three seconds.

In the photograph, An Ruo stood perfectly still for all three seconds.

Only his eyes blinked once.

His pale eyelashes trembled gently, hiding fragments of golden light.

As for the Marshal...

At first, he looked toward the camera.

Later...

He lowered his eyes to look at An Ruo.

Those silver-gray eyes, usually so cold, appeared unexpectedly gentle at that moment.

As though they quietly held him within them.

An Ruo stared at the photograph for quite a while before remembering something else.

There was also the painting Hill had given him...

And Iso's...

More importantly...

There was the poster he'd previously cropped.

Now that he had Ulysses' own permission, An Ruo restored it to its complete version.

Marshal Ulysses now appeared in front of General Cyril.

Black military uniform.

Utterly imposing.

His long hair and crimson cloak resembled an unfurled battle flag.

He himself was the banner.

Sharp brows.

Cold silver eyes.

He looked especially good in the state of having "just eaten a Male Zerg."

...

Oops.

He'd accidentally absorbed StarNet slang into his brain.

An Ruo manually deleted it and replaced it with:

"Freshly rejuvenated after receiving beauty treatment from the prison's top Psychic Soothing specialist."

Taking two steps back, An Ruo admired the overall effect.

No matter how he looked at it...

The Marshal was simply too handsome.

His wall was gradually becoming richer and fuller.

Ulysses quietly watched his own image hanging there.

The heart that had always drifted in uncertainty...

...finally settled.

For the first time in months...

Or perhaps for the first time in his entire life...

He finally had a place here.

Ulysses wasn't sure whether this meant he could now stand alongside those others.

Whether he could truly compare with those beloved protagonists favored by their creator...

But at least...

He now had the chance to stand before him.

Did this also mean...

That his god had finally noticed him?

Granted him one billionth of his gaze?

"Is this position alright?"

An Ruo asked whether he wanted it adjusted.

It was a little too close to the edge.

Not the central position.

The middle had already been occupied by all those characters who'd gone onto the wall before him.

Ulysses knew every path had to be walked one step at a time.

He had no intention of challenging the other protagonists' places so rashly.

Lowering his eyes, he softly replied,

"Mhm. It's very good."

Seeing that he was satisfied made An Ruo happy as well.

It felt like one of his favorite hobbies had been acknowledged by one of the important characters he'd created.

At this point...

Any sensible Zerg should politely say goodbye.

But Ulysses didn't want to leave yet.

"May I ask you one final question?"

he asked quietly.

"Hm?"

Looking at him in confusion, An Ruo nodded.

"You gave your protagonists the very best of everything.

Unlimited love.

Why...

...am I the only exception?"

Those words had echoed through Ulysses' heart countless times.

Only now had he finally spoken them aloud.

He had never asked why his Male parent had treated his female parent that way.

Or why he'd abandoned him.

He had long since given up.

There was no point asking.

Nor should he have asked why the god who wrote him into existence had never treated him kindly.

Why every protagonist received his favor...

...except him.

Why all their futures shone brightly...

...while he remained surrounded by darkness.

He should never have asked.

Just like asking why his Male parent abandoned him...

It was a meaningless question.

Perhaps...

The fundamental difference between this person and the Male parent connected to him by blood...

...was that he was simply too kind.

Too kind to everyone.

So kind that one couldn't help beginning to hope.

Or perhaps...

Before meeting the god who had written him...

He had first met that male quietly eating alone in the garden.

The male who...

When Ulysses believed he would receive no Psychic Soothing and turned to leave...

Reached out and caught his sleeve.

There were also...

The star coins transferred to him one payment after another.

Novel rewards.

Copyright licensing fees.

Even Iso Coins.

He had given them all to him.

Then...

When he had been promoted to Marshal...

There had been that single "Congratulations" spoken inside the prison cell.

And before everything...

That glance back in the courtroom.

Every one of those moments...

Created expectations that never should have existed.

Made him want to pursue an answer.

"Because..."

An Ruo struggled to speak.

Looking at Ulysses, who watched him with unwavering hope...

For the first time...

He realized just how cruel he truly was.

"Your original role..."

"...was the villain."

Because...

He was the villain.

Lightning tore across the sky.

Ripping apart the curtain hiding reality.

Exposing the cruel truth before their eyes.

For several seconds...

Ulysses' expression went completely blank.

His silver-gray eyes froze.

Only after quite some time did they move again.

It was almost as though the gears inside his mind had finally begun turning.

So...

That was it.

So...

That was it.

That made sense.

A setting like his...

Would always be the great villain destined to be defeated.

And yet...

Because of a few scattered words...

He had actually mistaken himself for...

...a protagonist?

How utterly...

Humiliating.

"I understand.

Thank you for answering."

Taking a deep breath, Ulysses placed a hand over his chest and bowed with apparent composure.

Villains naturally never received happy endings.

Naturally they stumbled through hardship.

Naturally they met tragic ends.

Villains naturally weren't loved.

Naturally they could never stand alongside the protagonists.

From the very beginning...

He had been excluded.

When he straightened once more...

He had once again become the indestructible Marshal of the Federation.

"I still have military duties to attend to.

I won't disturb you any longer.

I wish you..."

"...a good night's sleep."

Ulysses took his leave.

A spatial passage opened once more.

Violent energy surged outward for an instant before quickly subsiding.

"Wait!"

An Ruo suddenly grabbed his hand.

Feeling the position wasn't quite appropriate...

He quietly shifted upward instead, lightly holding onto his sleeve.

"..."

Ulysses remained silent for a moment.

Without looking at the hand clutching his sleeve, he calmly asked,

"What is it?"

An Ruo held out the little yellow duck toward him.

Squeak—

"Your... duck.

You forgot it."

he said softly.

He still hadn't let go of Ulysses' sleeve.

Perhaps...

That wasn't what he truly wanted to say.

It was simply that...

He no longer knew what else he could possibly say.

The damage had already been done.

He had done everything he could to make amends.

Yet...

It was still nothing more than patching a leak after the boat had already sunk.

Ulysses glanced at the rather foolish-looking rubber duck.

"No need.

Throw it away.

It's useless."

"It is useful! Really useful! Look how cute it is..."

Squeak—

Squeak—

An Ruo squeezed it twice enthusiastically before continuing,

"You can put it in the bathtub when you take a bath so it'll keep you company.

Or balance it on your head...

Or leave it beside your pillow so it can sleep with you.

It's a little silly...

...but it's really cute!"

Too silly.

There was no way he would sleep beside a duck.

Ulysses stared at the bright yellow duck that squeaked every time it was squeezed for several seconds.

Finally...

Unable to resist the hopeful look in the male's eyes...

He reached out and accepted it.

"I'm leaving."

said Ulysses.

"Oh... alright."

An Ruo slowly released his sleeve a moment later.

Ulysses looked quietly at the now-empty sleeve for a while before turning his gaze back toward the male.

An Ruo: "?"

Taking a box from his spatial button, Ulysses handed it to him.

"This is for you.

Originally it was supposed to be presented publicly during the Legion Festival...

But..."

But the male didn't actually like crowded occasions.

Nor did he enjoy standing in the spotlight.

In the end...

That plan had been abandoned.

"Thank you for everything you've done.

The Zerg race will become better and better under your watch."

As for himself...

He no longer mattered.

Ulysses stepped into the spatial passage.

The portal closed.

An Ruo stood there blankly, holding the box for quite a while before finally remembering to open it.

Inside...

Was an exceptionally exquisite and luxurious medal.

—Federation Male Parent Medal.

An Ruo: "?"

Wait.

Male Parent?

Where had that come from?

When had he ever had children?

Did it refer to all his protagonists?

Had Ulysses started thinking of him as his Male parent???

An Ruo hurriedly threw that terrifying speculation out of his mind.

Still...

The medal really was beautiful.

Pure gold.

Exceptionally large.

Exquisitely crafted.

And...

It had been given to him by Ulysses.

After only a token hesitation, An Ruo accepted it and placed it somewhere prominent on his desk.

He now possessed a national-level medal.

Personally awarded by the Marshal.

Thinking of Ulysses...

An Ruo sighed inwardly.

He knew that no matter what he did...

He could never make up for the pain of the past.

But at the very least...

He hoped he could save Ulysses' future.

The futures of countless Zergs were closely tied to Ulysses.

Little Albino.

Cassian.

The original protagonist.

Every Zerg in the Federation.

And naturally...

Ulysses himself.

Ulysses had said...

The Zerg race would become better and better under his watch.

But...

What about Ulysses himself?

Did the future Ulysses spoke of...

Include him?

His memories of the original novel had already become vague.

Yet the real Ulysses had stood before him again and again.

He was a martyr.

An Ruo couldn't stop him from fighting for the ideals he'd devoted his life to.

That was his lifelong pursuit.

Then...

How was he supposed to save him?

That was asking far too much of someone whose specialty was writing romance.

He only wanted to write sincere love stories.

An Ruo fell into troubled thought.

...

Those two outings had exhausted him far too much.

An Ruo gave himself four days off and shut himself away in prison.

Thinking about the future.

Thinking about life.

Thinking about the lives of Zergs.

As the Legion Festival came to an end...

So did his vacation.

No matter how withdrawn he became...

He still had to climb back up and return to work.

His familiar routine resumed.

Every day, three star-hours of Psychic Soothing.

Then the prison cell door closed.

Isolation.

Eating.

Browsing StarNet.

Preparing his new novel.

The only difference...

Was that after mastering group Psychic Soothing, both his efficiency and the number of Zergs he could treat had multiplied several times over.

The original treatment room was no longer sufficient.

The new one had been expanded until it was as large as an auditorium.

Military female Zergs filed in one after another...

Then filed out again...

Looking almost like participants in some mysterious gathering.

For the sake of his health and condition, Uriel reduced his daily working time to a single star-hour.

Suddenly blessed with far too much free time...

An Ruo spent every day running down to the underground first level, treating every military female imprisoned there one after another.

After confirming that nearly all of them had stabilized...

He requested additional Psychic Soothing assignments.

The First Military Region Prison wasn't the only place holding military female Zergs suffering from Psychic Riot.

Other Military Region Prisons had them as well.

Following joint discussions among the military's senior leadership...

Several military female Zergs experiencing Psychic Riot were transferred from other Military Region Prisons.

They were brought before him.

Each one wore a muzzle.

Restraining belts.

Inhibitors.

Heavy doses of anesthetic.

Escorted under armed guard by military female Zergs.

Every one of them had once been a highly decorated officer.

After succumbing to Psychic Riot, they had lost all reason, becoming beasts that knew only slaughter and destruction.

Yet because their ranks were high...

Because their bodies contained vast, powerful energy...

Even years of Psychic Riot consuming them hadn't been enough to kill them.

Their consciousness had already disappeared.

Only their bodies remained alive.

Long ago...

The military had already given up hope for these Zergs.

They hadn't been executed...

Simply because no one could bring themselves to kill former comrades.

So they remained imprisoned.

Restrained.

Waiting for the day their energy finally ran dry and they truly died.

The miracle that had occurred in the First Military Region Prison...

Had given the military new hope.

Yet none of them could bring themselves to ask that esteemed Male Zerg.

Treating them wasn't part of a Military Region Prison Male Zerg's duties.

Unexpectedly...

It was His Excellency himself who suggested it.

Taking advantage of this opportunity...

They transferred those military female prisoners—who had never committed any crimes—to seek even the faintest chance of recovery.

They didn't hope for complete healing.

If they could merely improve...

Recover even a trace of consciousness...

Then they wouldn't have failed their former comrades.

Naturally...

An Ruo did everything in his power to treat them.

Psychic Riot couldn't be cured overnight.

Especially not for female Zergs who had remained irrational for such a long time.

They required much longer periods of treatment and observation.

Eventually...

Those female Zergs settled into the First Military Region Prison.

Along with the personnel assigned to guard them.

General Cyril entered the First Military Region with his troops.

From that point onward...

Cyril received special prison access authorization and officially became Uriel's colleague.

Together, they were responsible for supervising the transferred female Zergs from the other Military Region Prisons.

Which also meant...

A dignified General now had to live inside a prison full-time.

Until those high-ranking female Zergs suffering from Psychic Riot stabilized...

Even if his Male Lord wanted to see him...

He would have to submit an application...

Follow official procedures...

And visit him in prison.

It felt suspiciously as though he himself had become a prisoner.

Fortunately...

Submitting visitation requests was something Philor had already become extremely skilled at.