◈ 711. [Side Story] I fell in love with the Monster Front (3)
Crossroad Square.
Although recovery is progressing rapidly, there are still more ruins here.
Zenith and Hannibal were walking side by side on the street.
“Hehe, they’re all young people…”
Zenith, who was talking about what happened at today’s Women’s Promotion Committee meeting, giggled and then looked back at Hannibal.
“So Hannibal, don’t you date?”
“yes?”
“I think there are a lot of kids who like you, right? “Is there any good news?”
Zenith laughed mischievously. Hannibal scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
In fact, Hannibal’s dating history was very flashy considering his young age.
He was also popular within the mixed-race community, and the number of lovers he passed by during that time easily reached double digits.
I just didn’t have any suitable connections when I came to Crossroads.
… It felt awkward to say the truth, so Hannibal turned away the target instead.
“What about a father like that?”
“huh?”
“Any good news?”
When Hannibal asked with a grin, Zenith became even more embarrassed.
“No, well… where can I get such news? I have been a priest my whole life…”
“There are no restrictions on marriage for Goddess priests, right?”
“…and now I have been excommunicated.”
“Then you feel even more free?”
“Hmm. “Hehehe.”
Hannibal cautiously asked Zenith, who was at a loss for words.
“What about Priest Rosetta? “You seem close to him. What do you think?”
“Cough!”
Zenith coughed loudly in embarrassment and threw up her hand.
“Me and Sister Rosetta don’t have that kind of relationship.”
“no?”
“okay. Because we are siblings. “Rosetta was my lifesaver when I was young… It’s not just a relationship between a man and a woman, but a much deeper spiritual connection…”
Hannibal spoke kindly to Zenith, who was trying to explain.
“father.”
“huh? why?”
“I wish I had a mother like that.”
“Cough!”
I tried to ask about my son’s relationship status, but I couldn’t even get my head around it.
Zenith, who had been beaten back, barely answered while wiping off a cold sweat.
“No, I won’t try…”
I don’t know if it’s a problem that can be resolved if I try, but…
Hannibal smiled in satisfaction and ran down the road ahead, while Zenith crossed her arms and groaned.
‘romantic relationship? I? ‘Yes, I have become an ordinary person, but now?’
At that time, I suddenly remembered what Ash said before.
– Today is the youngest day for all of us in the rest of our lives.
I remembered what the son in front of me had said before.
– Dad, how do you want to live your life in the future? You can do anything now.
“….”
The corners of Zenith’s stiff mouth relaxed.
okay. Because today is the youngest and you can do anything in the future.
If you have a good relationship, there is no reason not to do it.
“If there is a good relationship…”
This is the most difficult part.
Zenith smiled bitterly and quickly ran after her son, who was running ahead.
***
Crossroads. back street.
“Hey Kuilan! Come to your senses! “Why did you drink so much when you’re weak in alcohol?”
Chain was returning to his dorm, supporting a very drunk Kuilan.
My injury wasn’t healed yet and I had trouble moving around, but the thought of taking a drunk person with me was like death. Chain was furious and almost dragged Kuilan away.
After struggling for several hours, we finally arrived at the barracks. I was able to put Kuilan in the room.
“Wow, I really almost died. “You can buy food separately later, okay?”
Chain pointed at Kuilan, who was pinned to the bed, and then turned around. It was then.
“Mr. Chain…”
Kuilan, who was very drunk, mumbled into his pillow.
“Go home…”
“….”
“It’s not something I would say, having lived shorter than Mr. Chain, but… I still like being with the people I love.”
Chain kept his mouth shut. Kuilan’s voice grew louder.
“Everyone will be waiting… so tell them your feelings before it’s too late…”
Eventually, Kuilan snored and fell asleep.
Chain closed the door with a sigh and returned to his quarters.
The room in the barracks I shared with Nobody was empty. Chain entered the room on crutches and flopped down on his bed.
“….”
Chain took out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it.
It was a letter my wife sent me not long ago.
< Kate gave birth safely. It's a healthy baby boy. >
Kate was Chain’s daughter’s name.
For Chain, whose daughter had given birth to a son, it was news that a grandchild had been born.
Chain’s face, which had been smiling without realizing it, slowly hardened when it reached the next sentence of the letter.
< I'm just saying this just in case, don't even think about coming back. >
“….”
< Now come and show your face and don't shake us for no reason. It's enough to send letters like this occasionally. >
Chain’s face gradually darkened.
< It's already been 10 years since you left us behind. We got used to living without you. Please do not disturb the peace we have barely found. >
“….”
< I hope you are doing well there in your own way. >
The letter ended there.
“…He was a shameful husband and a poor father.”
After putting the carefully folded letter back into his pocket, Chain let out a soft sigh.
I missed my daughter. A son-in-law I’ve never met or a newly born grandchild.
And I wanted to see my wife’s face more than anyone else.
But there was no shame in doing so.
“Where should I go now?”
Chain, wiping his face with his hand, asked into the empty room.
“What should I do, Nobody…?”
***
Crossroads. Manor house.
The night deepened as the main party members talked more about various things together in the living room.
Since it was an awkward time to send them back, they all decided to sleep at the manor house. In fact, since Lucas and Evangeline originally live here, it’s okay if only Junior and Damien get a guest room.
So I put each child in his or her own room and I returned to my office.
“It’s not a mess, it’s a mess….” They say
the most difficult thing in the world is the human heart.
This is just as difficult as conquering monsters. Sigh.
When I came back to the office muttering like that…
“Huh?”
I saw a familiar gray-haired man sitting on the guest sofa in the office. I absentmindedly called his name.
“Ader?”
“Oh, I’m a lord.”
The director I hadn’t seen in a while was waving his hand with a carefree expression.
“Have you been there?”
“Hey man! “Where on earth have you been hiding and now you’ve come out!”
I shouted urgently and stopped in the seat in front of Ader.
In Ader’s hand, I
was holding the scepter of the Lake Kingdom… the last thing I tried to look at during this loot check.
“Looking at this scepter…”
And Ader, who was examining the scepter, looked embarrassed and suddenly said something strange.
“It reminds me of my crush. “I was lost in memories.”
“….”
What? crush?
Are you also ‘in love with Monster Front’?
Just all love, all love! The whole world is a coupling ring!
***
A moment later.
“Unrequited love…”
After making two cups of warm tea myself, I held one cup out to Ader and asked.
“Then, as expected, the other person is unknown?”
Ader took the teacup and smiled faintly.
“No comment for now.”
“Well, even after getting to this point, this guy said no comment.”
It’s really the end game now, so just keep spoiling it! How long are you going to keep it wrapped up tightly?
“You will soon find out about my dull love story. “What’s more important than that right now.”
Ader shook the scepter in her hand lightly.
“This must be it.”
“….”
I was staring at the scepter and then turned to face Ader. Ader explained slowly.
“This scepter was originally an object that symbolized the kingship of the Lake Kingdom. “It was originally a beautiful staff with a pure white body and blue jewel decorations on top.”
Now, all the jewels at the end of the scepter are black and tainted, and the body of the staff has black energy rooted in it like veins.
It’s amazing that they still maintain their dignity after all this.
“After the Nightmare engulfed the Lake Kingdom, the Demon King bestowed his power on this scepter. “He was often away and went off to explore nightmares, so he needed someone to act as the Demon King while he was away.”
“Then this scepter…”
“Yes. “It can be said to be a symbol of authority that allows the use of the devil’s power.”
Ader floated the scepter in the air and placed her hands on it.
“There are many functions, but the most representative function is related to the ‘game’ we are playing… ‘Game of Destruction.’”
“…!”
“Specifying the time of the stage, the monster army to be deployed, and the dark event.”
Crackling, crackling!
At the director’s fingertips, magic took the form of a complex formula and burrowed into the inside of the staff.
Afterwards, a bunch of system window-like things popped out around the scepter and then disappeared again.
Ader flicked his fingers in the air as if tapping a virtual keyboard.
Pachick!
The next moment, like a lie, all the system windows were sucked into the scepter. I don’t know if it was an illusion, but it felt like the color of the jewel on the head of the scepter had become a little clearer.
“Here we are.”
Ader held the scepter with both hands and politely handed it to me. I received it in a daze.
“uh? Are you giving it to me?”
“Of course it’s your lord’s. “It’s a trophy, isn’t it?”
Ader nodded.
“No matter what the process was, you stole the enemy’s symbol. “You need to gain that much advantage.”
“So you’re saying I can use the scepter’s function? So, I can specify the time of the stage, the monsters that appear, and the dark events?”
“For now it is.”
Ader continued his explanation.
“The devil is not in reality right now. Still navigating the nightmare. In the meantime, you can use the scepter to organize the stage to your liking.”
“…!”
So, does this mean that I can intentionally apply the most unsightly dark event to the weakest monster army possible at a convenient time… so that I can progress through the stage comfortably?
“But when the Demon King returns and reclaims his power, the scepter will lose its power… and revert to an ordinary staff.”
Ader laughed bitterly.
“An old, faded staff with no power or authority, symbolizing the lost royal authority of an already fallen kingdom.”
“….”
“So, if possible, it would be better to fight the battle comfortably while the power remains in the scepter before the Demon King returns.”
I focused my attention on the scepter.
Then, the Nightmare side’s attack interface appeared before my eyes in a familiar form like an existing system window.
[STAGE 41]
> Invasion period: Next 3 weeks (penalty for violation)
> Select corps to deploy
> Dark event list
“I’ve put a touch on it to make it easier to use. “With a game feel.”
“In times like this, I feel a bit like a director…”
I quickly looked at the content, thought for a moment, and then asked.
“What if I don’t designate a monster? “What happens if I ignore the stage and skip it?”
Ader shook her head slightly.
“Don’t forget who our game ‘Destruction Game’ is for. This world is basically a playground for those foreign media… ‘observers’. “You can’t do that carelessly unless you make them understand.”
“….”
“If you try to skip a stage for no reason or think the stage is too easy, they will directly intervene.”
“You mean to intervene directly? What are you talking about?”
Ader winked at me.
“A long time ago… Do you remember the dark event during Stage 3?”
“Of course I remember.”
Early first year. At the time of Stage 3.
Suddenly, the time remaining on the stage was shortening and the monsters were making a diversion and getting very angry. Evangeline almost died there.
“At that time, the observers of the dark event directly intervened.”
“…?!”
“Let’s take a look at our previous records. Now that the lord has attained godhood, he will be ‘visible.’”
I quickly opened the system window, turned on ‘Dark Event Tracker’, and looked at the old logs. Then
[???’s ?? intervenes in the game!]
This log message that remained in Stage 3.
A record full of question marks that I obviously couldn’t read.
For some reason, the contents were ‘read’.
[The observer’s will intervenes in the game!]
A chill ran down my spine and goosebumps appeared all over my body.
Then, the identity of all the malice I have felt so far…
“Can you see it clearly now?”
Ader, in front of me, gritted her teeth and looked at the records, curled the corners of her mouth.
“The will of this world…this universe to destroy us.”
