Chapter 72

Setting aside the long, continuous dream for a moment, I fell into thought.

The reason Ian was dying is clear.

Because a human body could not contain his immense talent.

Then what about me in this life?

Is this okay?

The answer came quickly.

For now, it’s fine.

The reason I’m strong in this life isn’t because I understand Ian’s thoughts.

It’s just that they were copied and forcibly pasted into my head, like rote learning.

But that’s just for now.

What if I experience a few more Past Life Lucid Dreams?

I felt that the more I used Rewind, the more my own aptitude grew.

Ian’s thoughts, which I couldn’t understand at first, and the structure of his principles, were gradually becoming familiar.

So I was just happy.

It felt like I, who had been nothing but a dullard, was transforming into a genius.

But still.

It sounds like the more I have Ian’s Dream, the more it means I, too, will be unable to escape a terminal fate.

My chest feels tight, as if I’d eaten a sweet potato whole.

Ian would overcome it, Ian would have an answer, Ian would…

This time, I can’t bring myself to think such optimistic thoughts.

The fact that I’m watching Ian’s life right now means that, in the end, Ian died.

It seems like he failed to overcome his terminal fate.

Elsland was turned upside down.

It was because Saintess Casilla announced she was going to the Demon Realm Forest as soon as the festival ended.

Naturally, everyone strongly opposed it.

“Please calm your heart. Of all places, why would you go there again?”

“If you fall for the Demon’s tricks again… Oh, Lord. Please change Casilla’s mind.”

“Please reconsider! We cannot lose the Saintess!”

Reconsider, my ass. Of course Casilla didn’t want to go either.

She just wanted to stay in Elsland.

She wanted to go look at flowers and eat delicious food.

She wanted to occasionally give blessings to the Holy Knights, live like that for about 60 more years, and then pass on the title of Saintess.

After retiring, she even wanted to travel to famous spots across the continent on a food tour.

She had such a perfect plan.

Casilla squeezed her eyes shut and said.

“I, I must go.”

“But why…”

“Because I must punish the evil things that are there.”

“But I mean, why…”

“That was the answer to my prayers.”

It wasn’t a prayer.

The Almighty Lu did not say such a thing.

But she had no choice.

Because the memories of that one month, which even she thought were hideous, were about to be recorded in the holy scriptures.

She’d rather just die in the Demon Realm Forest than be shamed for generations to come.

“So, please grant me permission.”

The people let out a deep sigh.

They looked at her as if she were a wild, unruly girl.

Casilla silently endured their gazes before turning her head.

Ian was standing there.

For a moment, her gaze turned venomous.

It was a signal for him to tell the truth, and quickly.

Ian stepped forward with a deep sigh, as if he had no choice.

“Then, I will go with you.”

“Ian?”

“Yes. It seems difficult to break the Saintess’s stubbornness… no, her will. If it gets truly dangerous, I’ll just have to make her human again.”

Ian reassured the people of the Papal Court with a good-natured smile.

‘No. Don’t fall for that Devil’s scheme. Stop him. I said, stop him.’

However, during the month he had been here, the miracles Ian had shown were more than enough for him to be called a saint.

“Oh, if Ian is going with her.”

“Are you sure? To go so far for our church…”

Everyone was moved by Ian’s great spirit of sacrifice.

The picture was complete.

Ian, reluctantly stepping up for the sake of the childish Saintess.

Casilla squeezed her eyes shut.

In the meantime, the people of the Papal Court were bowing and scraping, even offering travel expenses to the Devil.

As if that wasn’t enough, he even received the Pope’s blessing.

“Please take good care of our Saintess.”

It was as if he was asking him to take care of a stubborn daughter.

Instead of the truth, Ian nodded with a troubled smile.

“I will do my best to dissuade her.”

For the first time since being born a Saintess, Casilla seethed with murderous intent.

There are many gates to pass through to get to the Demon Realm Forest.

First, you have to go to the Empire and get a travel permit.

With the permit, you pass through five cities to reach the northernmost part of the Empire.

After arriving in the North, where they are likely fighting Monsters even at this very moment, you request a guide from the Grand Duke.

Following the guide, you go to the northernmost part of the North. At its very edge lies the Demon Realm Forest.

That was Casilla’s explanation.

She spoke with a frustrated face.

“It’s a task that will take at least a year.”

I shook my head at Casilla’s explanation.

“We don’t have that kind of time.”

“I don’t have time either. But what can I do when this is the reality.”

Ever since we left Elsland, she’s been like this.

It seems she’s seriously angry with me.

“Or how about we just turn back now.”

“That’s even more out of the question. There’s a better way.”

I took out three scrolls from my pocket.

Casilla, who received one, tilted her head.

“When you tear the scroll, you’ll arrive at the first city of the North.”

It was a magic scroll containing the principles of Teleport, a Supreme Magic, or in other words, an 8th-Circle magic.

“Wh-where did you get something this precious?”

She looked at me with an expression that said, ‘no way.’

I shook my head.

“I’m in a state where I shouldn’t consume Mana unless it’s a dangerous situation.”

If possible, I plan to avoid any act that consumes Mana.

One more thing.

It’s also troublesome to carelessly display my overflowing talent.

That’s why I pretended not to have seen the principles of Teleport even after seeing them.

“I received it from the Eastern Mage Tower Lord, Rohan.”

“…So the rumor that you’re a direct disciple of the Grand Master was true.”

Casilla looked at me with a strange expression.

“Is it also true that you received the support of the great lords of the South?”

“Yes.”

“What about being gifted the territory of the Western Great General?”

“Well, that’s also true.”

“And in our Papal Court…”

Her expression grew more and more bizarre.

“This time, the North…”

I think I know what she’s thinking.

“Is your scheme, by any chance, to overthrow the Empire?”

“I have no such intention.”

I just gave a little help, by my standards, on my way.

That’s all it took for my influence in this world to grow.

Well, if I die here, even that will become useless.

“If you’re done with the questions, let’s depart.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I tore the scroll.

A halo of light enveloped me. At the same time, I felt gravity pulling me to the ground.

But damn it.

I had resolved not to do this.

Regardless of my will, I had understood the principles of Teleport.

Snip-

It was also the moment a week of my lifespan was cut short.

As soon as I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was an endless field of snow.

I raised my head.

Snow was pouring down from the sky.

Next, a biting cold washed over me. The North, the North. I’d only heard rumors, but I never knew the wind would be this sharp.

“Isaac.”

Isaac quickly waved his hand. The next moment, my body was warmed up.

Just in case, I looked at Casilla.

As expected, it was a needless worry.

To a Saintess who had reached S-Rank by this life’s standards, a cold like this was nothing.

It was then.

Kwaang-!

Casilla’s body shot off like a cannonball.

Isaac, conscious of my gaze, spoke as if sighing.

“Three kilometers ahead, there are people. Fighting a Monster. Looks like a dangerous situation.”

I didn’t know because I had turned off most of my senses.

“This could be a problem.”

For now, Isaac is protecting me, but once we enter the Demon Realm Forest, I’ll have no choice but to use magic.

In that process, my lifespan will naturally…

“Let’s not overthink it. We might die anyway.”

Isaac frowns.

“What kind of morbid joke is that?”

From the moment I revealed I was terminally ill, Isaac had become much less talkative.

Even though I said I still had a year left, he would sometimes look at me with eyes that seemed on the verge of tears, just like now.

I smirked and opened my senses.

Fwaah-!

As soon as my senses opened, I could see what was previously unseen.

“It’s just like the rumors. The energy is strange.”

“It’s the North.”

To be precise, Demonic Energy was gloomily settled right from the point where the North began.

I widened my vision along the horizon.

The further north I looked, the denser the Demonic Energy became, while other energies faltered, unable to exert their power.

-Get behind me!

In my expanded vision, I could see Casilla.

She was easily subduing the Xiphos bastards who were swinging their Hand Axes down at her.

No, that’s looking at it from a Civilian’s perspective.

The Divinity extending from her hand was being blocked by the Demonic Energy, faltering.

As if it were a living creature.

At this rate, it would be difficult to get proper efficiency even when using magic.

Was it recorded in the holy scriptures?

At the end of the God-Demon War, Gold Dragon Azadun had trapped the Demons and Monsters here.

This was clearly the aftermath.

But thinking about it the other way.

“On the contrary, if you know how to use Demonic Energy, the efficiency would double.”

No, it’s double here.

As we advance into the North, the Demonic Energy will become more and more viscous.

“It’s a paradise for Demons and Monsters.”

“No. It’s not just Demons or Monsters, it’s the same for anyone who knows how to use Demonic Energy.”

“What are you talking about? Isn’t that the same thing?”

No.

There are also humans like me who are not dominated by Demonic Energy, but know how to wield it.

Without answering, I looked ahead.

The battle had already ended.

-We’re saved!

-Thank you! Thank you!

Casilla was making a holy sign, blessing the soldiers. Her breathing was uneven.

I looked to my side. Isaac’s expression was souring by the second.

He had seen it too.

That the Saintess’s Divinity was not being properly exerted.

“Inside the Demon Realm Forest, the concentration will be much denser than here.”

He said, as if warning me.

“If the three of us go, we’ll die a dog’s death before we even find Azadun.”

“I suppose so.”

“Why are you so calm?”

He has a grim look on his face.

Not his usual self.

“If you’re thinking of overexerting yourself and using magic, I’ll be the first to stop you.”

“I have no intention of doing that.”

I know the value of my own life.

“So how about asking for help right now? There must be more than a few people from all over the Empire who would come to help you.”

“If I was going to do that, I would have accepted when the Papal Court offered to send the Knights Order. The more people there are, the more time it will take.”

“…So the three of us should just go and die together? It would be an honor to be buried with you, but. Is there no other way?”

I gestured with my chin towards the soldiers who were still shouting that they were saved and said.

“Let’s get some help from Winter Castle. We need a guide anyway. We need about one more person.”

“One person? Just one person?”

“Yes. One person.”

“A centurion is out of the question, and a chiliarch is about on my level, but even that won’t be much help in the Demon Realm Forest.”

Isaac crossed his arms and pondered.

“Unless it’s someone on the level of the Grand Duke, they’ll just be a burden like you said.”

“Yes. That’s why I’m going to ask that very Northern Grand Duke for help.”

Isaac’s expression returned to its usual self for the first time in a while.

He asked back with a dumbfounded face.

“For a guide, you want to use who?”

“The Northern Grand Duke.”

“…Th-that person? That madman?”

It’s nice to see the usual Isaac back.

I smirked and walked forward.

“That’s why I’ll have to persuade him well.”