727. [Side Story] Lake Kingdom (8)
After the barrier was restored and the water drained, the Lake Kingdom became a land of monsters.
The monsters took whatever part of the sprawling city-state they liked and made it their home base.
Many survivors who had managed to maintain their sanity for over a hundred years lost their minds at this time.
Because it was so despairing to be hunted every day by the hideous and terrible monsters of nightmares.
Monsters held a banquet every night, and the people of the Lake Kingdom, who came back to life even after death, became their prey every night.
It was blood-sucked alive, torn by claws, and burned by its own breath. The monsters mocked and played with humans’ weak resistance.
A variety of monsters lurked everywhere in the kingdom, and their territory gradually expanded. Before we knew it, there was no space left in the city where humans could rest in peace.
Even in this situation, Ariel did not give up.
They gathered survivors from all over the kingdom, organized a resistance force, and came together to fight the monsters.
But those desperate efforts soon faded.
“…Brother?”
This was because a traitor who had joined the monster’s side had appeared among the people.
“What is this… what…”
White masked people who had joined by disguising themselves as another group of survivors.
After digging into the resistance group, they kidnapped and appeased the resistance members one by one and took them to the devil.
“…Their consciousness was placed in a dream by the Demon King himself.”
These white masked people – the leader of ‘Nightcrawler’.
The man dressed as a clown who identified himself as ‘Crown’ was none other than Prince Christian.
“Same goes for Abama. He finally gave in and is now dreaming.”
“Prince Christian…!”
“Come to your senses, Prince Christian!”
“I gave up that name.”
Christian shook his head as the other survivors called the prince’s name one after another.
“I coveted the crown beyond measure, but in the end, I was just a funny clown.”
Underneath the smiling mask, the man laughed miserably.
“So from now on, please call me Crown.”
“Brother…!”
Ariel was furious.
Crown slowly picked up the flute from his belt – the power bestowed by the Demon King.
“Now you are the only people resisting this country.”
“Why! Why are you on the devil’s side!”
“Ariel. “Why are you resisting?”
Crown let out a soft sigh as he looked around at the people still trying to fight.
“Have you not seen those mighty monsters? What about the devil who commands those monsters? “The country fell to the bottom of the lake, and there is no way to lift the curse.”
“….”
“There is no hope anyway. In that case, wouldn’t it be better to get comfortable quickly instead of engaging in useless resistance?”
“Onii-sama, you…!”
Crown quietly looked at the face of his younger brother, who still called him brother.
Even in this hell, those upright eyes that still shine without losing their will.
“I, who committed a crime anyway and caused the downfall of the country, am just trying to finish my last dirty work.”
Crown lifted the flute to his mouth. Then, all of Nightcrawler took out the weapons they had prepared.
The resistance fighters also raised their weapons. Ariel cried out and cried.
“Don’t do this, brother! It’s our royal family’s fault for putting this country in hell! So, we must take responsibility and fix it together!”
“No, Ariel. You did nothing wrong. “The fault lies only with me.”
Bloody tears flowed from inside the mask.
Crown let out a sigh with a heavy voice.
“So… I’ll make you feel comfortable as soon as possible.”
Beep-
Immediately after Crown plays the flute.
The monsters that heard the sound in the darkness poured in here with their red eyes shining.
“what?!”
“Could it be that you control a monster…?!”
“Prince! “Are you really-”
The members of the Nightcrawler unit fired arrows and magic at the panicked resistance without hesitation.
The resistance group collapsed helplessly in front of the joint attack of monsters and traitors. Ariel desperately ordered a retreat.
In a world taken over by monsters.
Even the last remaining humans were divided and fought like this.
***
From monsters to humans.
A situation where the enemy is increasing and the fighting force is decreasing.
In the end, Ariel had to make a decision.
To take responsibility as a member of the royal family for the downfall of the country.
In order to continue fighting against the Demon King to protect the remaining people…
I decided to use the ancient magic that had been a secret to the royal family.
“I will offer my existence as a burnt offering to the goddess.”
The principles of magic identified by the Lake Kingdom are as follows.
When the guardian beast of a race rooted in the spirit world brings the power absorbed from the other world into this world, that power is processed and used in this world.
And the Lake Kingdom royal family already knew.
There is a burning woman at the root of ‘Everblack’, the guardian tree of humans.
In the folk world, commonly referred to as ‘goddess’, the deity that is simply dismissed as a legend is real. There is a strong connection between her and humanity’s magic.
This ancient magic was a ritual in which one sacrificed one’s being to the goddess and instead borrowed her power.
“There is no need for the princess to do that!”
“We’d rather…!”
“no. “It’s not just about taking the lead and making sacrifices.”
Ariel shook her head at those who opposed her and smiled bitterly.
“Because I am the one who ‘has the most to burn.’”
and.
Because if anyone in this position is responsible for this whole hell, it’s only themselves.
In the end, Ariel performed a ritual to offer herself to the goddess through ancient magic.
“I offer it.”
Ariel chanted as she endured the heat that consumed her entire body after setting magic fire on her body.
“My identity.”
She was dethroned and gave up her status as a princess.
“My memories.”
Forgetting the beautiful and precious days from birth until now and the difficult but not giving up days of resistance,
“My name…”
I burned down the name Ariel and became unknown.
“My everything.”
The burnt offering ceremony is over.
When the fire on her body went out, the princess’s brilliant silver hair turned white.
A hundred years after the destruction, the red ribbons that were always tied to maintain one’s humanity were burned to ashes.
Instead, the memories were bleached clean and the facial expressions and emotions were cut into pieces.
Flashing…!
A dazzling halo of light formed on the nameless hand.
The goddess gave the princess who gave her all the light that could destroy the devil.
The resistance fighters, who were crying as they looked up to the white-burned princess, knelt down towards her one by one.
Nameless silently picked up the rusty iron sword lying on the floor, breathed light into it, then turned to the people and said.
“let’s go.”
The bright smile he always showed to everyone and the rich emotions in his voice were all gone.
Only one purpose remained in his eyes, which were as clear as a lake.
“To save the world.”
To defeat the devil and save this country.
To kill monsters and protect people.
That purpose alone.
***
….and many more years passed.
Nameless continued to fight.
Her ordinary old, rusty iron sword cut down countless monsters and wrote many legends, becoming one of the best weapons that can cut any monster into pieces.
Nameless himself also became extremely trained during countless battles, becoming a swordsman more skilled than anyone else in the world when it comes to dealing with monsters.
And while time passes for this to happen.
The resistance fighters disappeared one by one.
The Demon King persistently persuaded the members of the resistance group. They didn’t even turn him into a living device that simply had nightmares after being appeased.
Monsters that cloned their memories were deployed to fight the resistance.
Not only did those who had been colleagues until a few days ago surrender, but they appeared in the form of monsters and attacked the resistance.
“There are rats, there are rats everywhere! No matter how many times you kill them, there will be endless rats! Damn rats!》
《I also want to join the royal court someday and learn magic. I’m tired of sweeping and mopping this place like a machine.》
《20 years ago, I was a centurion, 10 years ago I was a centurion… Are you telling me to just be a centurion for the rest of my life?》
《Punish those who climb the castle wall! No matter how emergency it is, it must be handled according to the law! It’s all summary judgment! Summary judgment…!》
《Become fertilizer for the future of humanity, you non-citizens!》
In the endless battle in the hell below the lake, the resistance fighters went crazy one by one.
It became difficult to tell whether it was day or night, under water or on land, and whether the person in front of me was a monster or a human.
Those who went crazy were in a state where they could no longer endure, such as attacking allies, seeing empty things, going into confusion, or completely losing all will and not being able to move.
“I can’t fight them anymore, but I don’t want to become a living device that gives me nightmares.”
The resistance fighter who was the first to leave made a request to Unknown.
“Please imprison me and seal me.”
“….”
Unknown, who was silent, slowly nodded.
“I will do as you wish, comrade.”
Afterwards, anonymous asked cautiously.
“Do you remember where your original home was? “I will let you rest there for the last time.”
Those who could no longer fight returned to their original homes and were sealed.
Anonymous laid his comrade down on the moth-eaten bed and stroked his forehead and whispered.
“May you retire peacefully.”
“I hope that you will regain your light sometime, nameless….”
After saying goodbye.
A magical seal was placed on the house several times to prevent the devil from approaching. Just in case, the doors and windows were blocked from the outside.
This was called a ‘retirement funeral’ among the Lake Kingdom resistance fighters who could not die.
It was the only honorable end they could have.
***
….
And again, after so many years have passed.
Throughout the Lake Kingdom, houses with their doors and windows sealed like this mushroomed.
Thump thump thump….
After sealing another comrade with his own hands and nailing it to the door of that house.
“….”
Unknown looked back.
Before she knew it, she was alone.
All of the resistance fighters, who once numbered in the hundreds, either surrendered to the Demon King or held a retirement funeral and disappeared from the Lake Kingdom.
There are really very few that are still fighting.
‘iced coffee.’
Even that is now limited.
Even anonymous himself felt that his own end was approaching. This was because I knew very well that the light borrowed from the goddess was gradually fluttering with difficulty.
‘Was there any meaning to all the resistance on all those days?’
Nameless raised his tired eyes and looked up at the sky.
This kingdom, once beautiful and colorful, is now nothing but a dull colorless world, completely immersed in darkness.
‘The last time I saw a pretty color was…’
Suddenly, Moomyeong became lost in thought.
‘When was it?’
Obviously before the world became like this.
I think I saw something beautiful with someone…
‘…I don’t remember.’
Because everything was burned and sacrificed, nothing came to mind.
Nameless, laughing bitterly, staggered and walked back into the kingdom immersed in darkness.
To prepare for another endless battle.
And to prepare for the unexpected… new possibilities that may arise.
Today too, we had to set up torches throughout the Lake Kingdom, clear out monsters, and patrol in search of visitors.
and.
“hmm?”
As I was making my way around the outside of the castle walls, I saw a group of people standing outside the closed main gate.
A young man with black hair and a blonde knight were in the lead. A sniper with curly brown hair and a one-eyed white-haired wizard. And a red-haired wizard in a wheelchair.
‘Are they adventurers?’
People often came here after hearing rumors that the kingdom had sunk.
A very small number of them settled in the kingdom and became new forces, but the majority were scared when they saw the monster and ran away or died in vain.
So I don’t have high expectations.
“Are they grave robbers who came to this Lake Kingdom looking for treasure?”
But with very little hope.
He approached us with a warning to prevent those who were inadvertent from getting caught up in this hell.
“There is nothing here that you want. Please return to earth while you still have life…”
