Chapter Season 2 740

“This is rather sudden…….”

“I admit it. But this is the conclusion I reached after giving it considerable thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is a necessary process. Someone else must go through what I went through. That is the only way.”

It was not the tone of someone complaining about how unfair it was that he alone had suffered. He was not that kind of person to begin with.

Perhaps Yang In-hyun thought his explanation had been insufficient, because he added a little more.

“The key is to compare what different people witness against one another.”

“…….”

Peran still did not understand, but Harun, who stood beside him, grasped the meaning behind those words.

Harun asked cautiously.

“…Do you perhaps suspect that what you witnessed with your own eyes may not have been the truth?”

“Master?”

Yang In-hyun neither confirmed nor denied it at first.

He gave Harun a calm glance, then looked directly at Peran again and tilted his head slightly to one side.

“Young mage, what do you think is the most dangerous thing in war?”

“Pardon? Ah.”

Peran was caught off guard by the sudden question, but he soon gathered his thoughts and answered.

“Isn’t it a powerful enemy?”

“That isn’t wrong. But if the enemy is merely powerful, there is nothing particularly dangerous about that. You can simply choose not to fight, avoid an all-out battle, or enter negotiations. There are many ways to deal with it.”

“Then… hmm…….”

Yang In-hyun spoke as he watched Peran ponder.

“The answer is unreliable intelligence.”

“Unreliable intelligence…….”

“Misjudging the enemy’s strength, getting the timing of an attack wrong, or discovering that those you believed were allies were actually enemies. If you can feed the opposing side false information like that, then no matter how badly outmatched you are, you can still win the war.”

“…….”

“As you can see, I lost an arm. I also witnessed the Giant’s means of attack with my own two eyes. And yet I hesitate to tell you exactly what I experienced. That is because even I could not grasp the true nature of Destruction’s attack.”

Peran’s expression hardened.

Was Yang In-hyun saying that even after approaching the Giant and directly engaging it in battle, he had still been unable to grasp the true nature of its attack? A man of the Everlasting Plum Sword’s caliber? Despair welled up within Peran, but at the same time, so did respect for the man before him.

Yang In-hyun knew how much weight a single word from him carried. He was the only person to encounter the Giant and return alive. There was a danger that any careless remark he made might be interpreted for convenience or twisted out of meaning.

That was why he said nothing. It was better than throwing their allies into confusion with uncertain information.

After all, one of the Giant’s defining characteristics was that it could not be observed.

‘…What an incredible man.’

Whenever Peran saw the places the Giant had trampled through, there were times when even he felt as though fear might drive him mad. The Destruction he had come to understand seemed like humanity’s most primal fears given form. Harun had once called it ‘a condensation of the unknown.’

Yang In-hyun had fought against such a being and returned alive, yet he had not gone mad. He had not fallen into a panic and started babbling whatever came to mind. Instead, he had simply assessed the situation with a cool head.

It could only be called superhuman composure.

“I understand what you mean. But if even someone with your discernment failed to grasp its true nature, would there really be anything to learn from having me or one of the commanders accompany you? I would think it better for you to go with someone unquestionably stronger than yourself.”

As it happened, such a person was already with them.

The Red Knight did not seem particularly interested in the course of their conversation. With her eyes half-lowered, she had been gazing at some vague point between the sky and the precipice below, and even Harun’s words drew no particular reaction from her.

Peran thought Harun’s suggestion was reasonable, but unlike before, Yang In-hyun shook his head firmly.

“That won’t do. I’ve already decided that my companion must be a mage from the Magic Planet.”

Come to think of it, Yang In-hyun had specified ‘a mage from the Magic Planet’ as his companion from the very beginning.

Harun asked, sounding puzzled.

“May I ask why?”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot tell you that either. Whoever accompanies me must have absolutely no prior knowledge of the Giant.”

“Hmm…….”

He was making an unreasonable demand, yet strangely enough, it did not feel that way. Was it because of the air Yang In-hyun carried?

Harun pressed firmly against his temple before speaking.

“To summarize, there are two conditions for your companion. First, they must be a mage from the Magic Planet. Second, they must know absolutely nothing about the Giant.”

“Correct.”

“Aren’t you being too cautious?”

It was Futurix who cut in, her voice disgruntled.

“Just tell us what you saw and experienced. I understand what you’re worried about, but there are no fools here. No one here is stupid enough to interpret your words however they please and spread them around.”

“I know. Even so, I cannot.”

“Why?”

“Because I believe my judgment is correct.”

“And if that judgment is wrong?”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to pay for it with my life.”

Futurix’s expression turned grim at those words.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think your life belongs entirely to you? You are irreplaceable. Half of the Twelve Void Lords are already dead. We cannot afford to let even one of the remaining Void Lords die needlessly.”

Yang In-hyun fell silent for a moment before asking.

“Are you saying my death is yours to decide?”

“Of course not. All decisions belong to Her Highness.”

“That’s strange. I already received the Half King’s permission regarding this matter. Did she perhaps give you some other order afterward?”

“No, but…….”

“Then you are not even taking your king’s will into account. Instead, you are trying to make the king act according to your own judgment. That is behavior more befitting a retainer than a loyal subject.”

“…….”

The atmosphere suddenly seemed to freeze.

Peran felt as though the two of them had each struck the other’s rawest nerve. He needed to intervene, but he could not bring himself to speak. The pressure they gave off seemed to freeze his entire body.

With the situation on the verge of exploding, Harun stepped between them.

“Enough, both of you. This is hardly the time for us to be fighting among ourselves.”

“…….”

“…….”

Apparently their reason had not abandoned them entirely, because both of them reined in their auras at Harun’s words.

Yang In-hyun, however, showed no sign of changing his mind. He looked at Peran and spoke again.

“I won’t deny that you may lose your life. But I have no intention of changing my decision.”

“…I understand what you mean. But give us some time to think as well.”

“I understand.”

At that moment, Peran’s mouth opened almost on impulse.

“Master, I’ll go.”

“…….”

Harun turned toward Peran.

The coolness of his gaze made Peran’s shoulders draw inward instinctively. He knew that look well.

It was the expression Harun wore when asking an important question as his master, or when he was about to impart a lesson.

“Why?”

If Peran gave a vague answer here, Harun would never allow him to go.

It was not as though this was something that actually required Harun’s permission in the first place, but this was a matter of convincing him. Knowing Harun’s personality, if Peran gave him a rational reason, he would not stop him.

Peran swallowed dryly.

Countless excuses came to mind.

Harun could no longer use magic. His wounds had yet to fully heal. Peran did not want to send such a master into the jaws of death. And yet, given the current state of affairs, Harun’s existence was ultimately more valuable than his own. There was also a certain degree of resignation.

But, yes.

All of those were merely excuses.

“…I need to see it for myself.”

Yang In-hyun’s words had made him realize something.

This was not something he should hear about secondhand.

“As commander of the Southeast Army. What I said during the meeting wasn’t some empty boast that slipped out because I was lost in delusion. I also believe I can only devise a countermeasure against the Giant after seeing it with my own eyes. No. Anyone could come up with a countermeasure in the abstract. Even without knowing anything about the Giant. But we can’t do that, can we?”

That was not what it meant to do one’s utmost. Simply because they could not observe the Giant, devising their plans around that fact would be an action born of fear, an attempt to absolve themselves of responsibility.

“I’m the one who has to give the final orders. And no matter how the process unfolds or what result follows, I’m also the one who has to bear responsibility for it. So please let me go, Master. I need to find out for myself.”

“Very well.”

Harun gave a faint smile.

“But you must come back alive.”

“Yes.”

“Losing an arm or so might be acceptable as tuition, though.”

With some of the tension leaving him, Peran grinned as he answered.

“Haha. That’s taking the joke a bit too far.”

“…….”

Harun’s smile vanished as he stared at him, and Peran quickly wiped the grin from his own face as well.

His master was certainly not the type to joke.

“Then it’s settled. Young mage – Peran, was it?”

“Yes, sir. When do you intend to leave?”

“I already told you. We’re leaving right now. We don’t have much time.”

“Ah. Then…….”

Peran’s gaze turned toward Futurix.

Futurix sighed.

“…The Southeast Army’s chain of command is already established. There won’t be any problems if you’re away for a while. I’ll take care of the basic duties.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmph. Everything is for Her Highness.”

Only then did Peran feel that he was beginning to understand Futurix’s personality a little. An artificial intelligence, was it? This being, somewhat akin in concept to a Golem, was in truth remarkably human.

“I’ll join you as well.”

As Peran smiled wryly, the Red Knight spoke, perhaps for the first time since arriving at Cloud Pavilion.

El showed no sign of discomfort despite every gaze turning toward her.

“Because leaving this to just the two of you makes me uneasy.”

‘…I had to end up with a troublesome ability like this.’

If there was one thought Iris PeaceFinder had most often lately, it was this.

The Authority over Space, Lord’s power. It had taken her a good several hundred years just to learn how to handle it properly, and to be honest, even now she could not claim to have mastered it completely. Still, she knew that the versatility of this power and its potential for further development were virtually limitless.

On top of that, relatively recently, Iris had learned one more fact about this power that she had not particularly wanted to know.

“You have an aptitude for that power as well.”

“…….”

At the time, Iris had given the handsome man before her an unfriendly look.

With flowing blond hair, sculpted features, and a well-proportioned physique, the man somehow gave off a smarmy impression. Though perhaps the reason Iris found him so smarmy was simply because she did not have a shred of goodwill toward him.

Even if he was a different being, his fundamental essence was still Lord.

…The man who had introduced himself as ‘Michael’ continued.

“This ability is different from ordinary powers. No amount of intellectual brilliance or bone-grinding effort will even allow someone to take the first step. Unless a person is born with the right constitution for it, no one can make this power their own.”

“…….”

“Perhaps our abilities could become the move that breaks us out of this desperate situation.”

It was the last kind of speculation Iris wanted to hear. But she could not force herself to forget something she had already heard.

Besides, the moment Iris heard those words, some part of her had accepted them. Extraordinary power inevitably came with extraordinary responsibility. Even if she did not want that responsibility, circumstances would eventually force it upon her.

“The Half King seems to be planning to put you in command of the Northwest Army.”

Michael had said that as well.

Iris stared at him in disbelief.

“Me, a commander? Ha. I have no idea what she’s basing that insane idea on.”

“Do you intend to refuse?”

“Of course.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

Michael asked in a dry voice.

“Iris PeaceFinder. What is your role in the world as it is now?”

“…….”

That was what Iris wanted to ask.

She did not know what she was supposed to do.

There was something she wanted to do, but no matter what she tried, she could never accomplish it. That was why thinking about the man currently using Lukas’s body made anger boil up inside her. Seriously, how could he set that kind of mood and then leave with a completely different bunch of people? Sure, perhaps he had not intended for things to turn out that way, but that did nothing to lessen Iris’s irritation.

Stress.

Even while burdened by stress she had no way to relieve, Iris kept thinking about the Giant. How were they supposed to tackle that monster? What would be the best way to use the ‘Authority over Space’ in this war?

As her thoughts deepened, a young girl came to see her.

“Ughk.”

The little brat fell out of the sky and landed face-first.

Iris had no idea how high she had fallen from. An ordinary person’s face would have caved in or their neck would have snapped, but the little brat sprang upright as though she had merely stumbled on a sandy beach.

Then, after rubbing her bright-red nose a few times, she looked at Iris.

“…Hello?”

“You’re…….”

The little brat who had been beside that irritating man.

Her name was……

“I’m Luca. Reporting to Big Sis Iris!”

Despite carrying a bag larger than her own body, she deftly bowed at an angle of more than ninety degrees.

…Right. Luca. That was her name.

Iris asked with an incredulous expression.

“What do you want with me?”

“Ah, yes. Big Bro asked me to do something…….”

Luca raised her head and spoke.

“Can you take me to the Giant?”

*****

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