Chapter 141: Pro…gress? (3)
As the leader of the Eastern Clan Alliance and the lord of the Callogram territory, Durandor asked with a puzzled expression that anyone would notice.
“The demons…have self-destructed?”
“Yes.”
“…And they didn’t lose to the Holy Kingdom?”
As he asked with a very confused expression, the informant bowed his head and spoke.
“It’s true that they were being pushed back by the Holy Kingdom, but they didn’t lose to them. They self-destructed due to an internal conflict among the demons.”
“…That doesn’t make any sense.”
Durandor tilted his head as if it was completely incomprehensible.
However, knowing that the informant was not lying, he pondered for a while.
“For now, let’s keep it that way. From now on, keep an eye on Lartania.”“Yes.”
Immediately after Durandor’s words, the informant disappeared, and Durandor stroked his chin with a very subtle expression.
‘No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it…’
At least from what Durandor knew, it made no sense for the demon world, which shared the same goals as him, to self-destruct in such a way. He tilted his head and let out a deep, uncomfortable sigh.
‘If the demons self-destruct, I’ll have to redraw the plan.’
Durandor sincerely regretted the demons’ self-destruction.
After all, demons were always needed in a significant part of the perfect plan he had devised.
‘…I never expected that they wouldn’t even achieve a quarter of what I anticipated.’
Durandor clicked his tongue in disappointment and sighed. He seemed to be pondering something for a while before eventually shaking his head as if there was no other choice.
Since the foolish demons had self-destructed, it had become difficult to include them in the plan anymore.
“…It can’t be helped.”
So, muttering quietly, Durandor picked up the blue orb placed on his desk.
Looking at the blue orb that was clearly emitting a holy light, Durandor immediately lifted it and infused it with magical power.
Soon, the orb glowed brightly, and an angelic figure appeared before him.
[Oh, Archangel, what brings you here?]
The sacred appearance made Durandor instinctively kneel upon seeing the angelic figure.
“Oh, Overseeing Judge, there is a problem.”
Durandor slightly bowed his head as he began to speak.
[What is the problem?]
“The demons have self-destructed before they could even complete their tasks, far ahead of schedule.”
[That is…something unexpected.]
“Indeed. So, oh Overseeing Judge, I believe I must act on my own.”
[You seek permission, I see.]
“Yes. How could I lead the Heavenly Army without the Judge’s permission?”
Durandor’s words.
The Judge stared at him intently.
[Oh, Archangel, I shall grant your request. Lead the Heavenly Army and lay the foundation necessary for ‘His’ resurrection.]
With those words, the Judge vanished in a bright light.
Finally, when the bright light from the blue orb naturally faded.
“…Now that I have permission, it’s time to act.”
Durandor, the Archangel, stood up with a smile.
Right after the Teleportation scroll was activated, Merilda found herself in a desolate plain, but she quickly realized where she was.
‘The border of the Calan Kingdom.’
She had landed in a place somewhat far from the Lartania territory, a place that would take at least five hours to reach even if she ran at full speed. Merilda stood in stunned silence.
“This, this this this-!!”
With her face flushed red and an extremely angry expression, she started sprinting towards Lartania with all her might.
Of course, she knew.
She knew that even if she started running now, she wouldn’t reach in time to stop the Absolute Ruler of Darkness from messing around.
But despite that, she ran because her blood was boiling, and tears were welling up in her red eyes.
‘That bastard…!!’
Kwagagagagagak-!!
Everything around her was being torn apart due to her sprinting, but she didn’t care at all in her current state.
There was only one thing on her mind at that moment.
The scene she saw just before being teleported away by the scroll – Rin and Kim Hyunwoo passionately kissing.
Euddeuddeuddeuk!
Thinking about it made Merilda unconsciously grit her teeth.
She gritted her teeth so hard that blood started to seep out, and tears flowed from her bloodshot eyes.
Along with that, Merilda regretted.
‘If I had just steeled my resolve a little sooner…!’
Of course, it was true that the time Ryu had arranged was the best one, but if she had gathered her resolve just a little earlier, this might not have happened.
Five days?
No. If she had steeled herself just one hour earlier – no, even just one minute earlier – this situation would never have happened.
Merilda was furious with herself.
She was angry at herself for always ending up in situations where she had regrets.
So angry that she wanted to punch herself in the face.
But Merilda knew all too well that now was not the time for that.
Even though she had already been outpaced, she had no intention of giving up entirely.
So she ran towards the Lartania territory with all her might.
About four hours later.
“Huh-! Huh-!”
Merilda, after running with all her strength, finally arrived near the Lartania territory.
However, by the time she arrived, the sun was already shining over the hill.
“…Ha.”
Seeing that, Merilda let out a laugh of disbelief and regret as she arrived at the outskirts near Lartania.
“…?”
Merilda could see Rin.
She was sitting in the forest near Lartania, looking as if everything had lost its meaning.
Seeing that Rin’s eyes were already swollen red like a rabbit’s, and tears were still flowing, Merilda felt her previously downcast mood rise to the top of her head.
Because the moment she saw that, Merilda instinctively realized.
That Rin and Kim Hyunwoo did not end up together…!
Realizing that, the heat that had risen throughout Merilda’s body instantly cooled, and she felt as refreshed as if she had just drunk a soda. Unlike five hours ago, she now praised herself without restraint.
‘It was right to wait. If I had followed Ryuu’s words and just rushed in, I would have been screwed. Staying calm was definitely the right choice!!’
With such thoughts, Merilda reached Rin with a triumphant expression and smirked as she spoke.
“Looks like it didn’t go well, huh?”
Merilda spoke with a confident, smug smile.
But Rin did not respond.
She just stared blankly at the ground.
“…?”
Seeing her like that, Merilda felt a slight doubt, but she opened her mouth again to tease Rin, who had sent her far away with the Teleportation scroll.
“Your Master really hates you, doesn’t he? I knew it. Who told you to go in there and barge in like that, huh?”
Merilda, seemingly having already forgotten that she had the same plan five hours ago, spoke with a mocking smile in front of Rin.
In response, Rin blankly looked up at Merilda.
There was nothing in her eyes.
She wasn’t annoyed by Merilda’s teasing, nor was she angry or plotting something else.
She just stared blankly up at Merilda.
And then.
Jureuk-
She started crying.
“Wha, what?”
Merilda, who had been smiling mockingly until a moment ago, was now quite flustered, though she tried not to show it, seeing this side of Rin for the first time.
“Hey…hey?”
Merilda called out to Rin with a slightly bewildered expression, but by then, Rin was already crying silently, burying her head in her knees with a clearly sorrowful expression.
“……”
Seeing Rin sob quietly without making a sound, Merilda wiped the mocking smile off her face and wore an incredibly dumbfounded expression.
Because, thinking about it, wasn’t she the one who should be crying right now?
But despite that thought, Merilda quietly stared at the silently crying Rin and let out a small sigh.
“Well, cheer up…”
She muttered softly.
In reality, no matter how much Merilda and Rin would tear at each other whenever they met, the only bond older than that was with her Lord.
So, after saying those words, Merilda scratched her head and returned to where Ryu should be.
…Feeling deep down that it was indeed a good thing she had waited.