Chapter 189

Bang!

I burst onto the rooftop and froze.

“H-how…”

The entire world was shrouded in fog.

Forcing my petrified legs to move, I stumbled toward the edge of the roof.

The view I always saw from here was completely obscured by the mist.

The elegant shops, the charming houses, the great Hegea Park, the Gray Forest, the Imperial Palace, and the Ruthius estate. Not a single one was fully visible.

When the wind swept the fog away, their shapes would appear faintly, only to be swallowed again by the thick haze in an instant. What had become of the people within?

A scene from hell must be unfolding down there. People killing each other, over and over again.

And yet, not even a scream could be heard. The silence was so profound it was deafening. That made it all the more chilling.

“Ah…”

A despairing sigh escaped my throat. I sank to the floor, strength leaving my limbs.

If this fog persisted for even a few days, the world would self-destruct. To stop the destruction, Dante had to disappear.

“Wait, child. The time for your choice will soon come.”

“This is… too soon.”

There was no time to think. Could I kill Dante?

My hands trembled violently. Just the thought of plunging a sword into his body sent a shiver down my spine.

‘I can’t do it! How can I kill Dante!’

I sat there numbly, tears streaming down my face, when a sudden roar echoed.

Crash!

The rooftop door shattered in one blow, and a monster appeared. It was a massive beast, easily three meters tall.

“Grrrrrrr.”

The monster bared its sharp fangs, threatening me. Its nose was hideously crumpled, its yellow eyes gleamed, coarse fur covered its entire body, and the rancid, gamey stench of a beast filled the air.

‘It’s not human!’

I reflexively moved to swing Arondight but stopped. A familiar name was visible above its head.

<Alex Ruthius / Title — The Reckless Accomplice>

“Alex…”

While I hesitated, Alex swung his thick, long arm.

His claws, flying at a terrifying speed, grazed my neck, leaving a long gash.

“Ugh!”

The claws alone were nearly a meter long. If I hadn’t instinctively recoiled, my head would have been severed in one strike.

“Alex! You blockhead, snap out of it! It’s me, Astell! Your sister!”

Of course, my words didn’t reach Alex’s ears. To him, they probably sounded like the threats of a monster. Just as his did to me now.

He leaped forward, closing the distance. At the same time, he thrust his claws toward my heart.

I twisted my body to dodge, and as his attack was thwarted, Alex bared his teeth and swung his claws again.

“Stop!”

Darting around, I had no time to stanch the bleeding from my neck. My uniform was quickly becoming soaked.

Left with no choice, I drew Arondight and deflected his claws. As he faltered from the forceful counter, I delivered a spinning kick to his chest.

As he tumbled backward, I strode forward and planted my foot on his stomach.

“I said, that’s enough!”

Alex let out a savage cry. In his completely monstrous form, a familiar killing intent surged through me. I was going mad with the desire to kill the monster before me right this instant.

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing down the murderous urge.

“No, that’s Alex. Not a monster, but my stupid older brother… Ack!”

Something sharp sliced through my calf.

As I staggered back from the excruciating pain, Alex fluidly sprang to his feet. He took a stance and immediately threw something.

Long claws flew toward my heart. The daggers Alex had thrown appeared to me as a monster’s claws.

The leg Alex had injured wouldn’t move. Had the nerve been severed in that last attack?

Clang! The moment I parried the first claw with Arondight, a second one came flying.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled Arondight back and barely managed to block the second claw.

There was no time to drink a healing potion. Alex charged again before I could create any distance, his long claws extended.

I can’t block that. I have to attack.

I forcibly held back the arm that was moving on instinct and screamed.

“Alex! How much are you going to regret this later! You want to cry your eyes out again?”

Alex didn’t recognize me, not even at the end. His bright yellow eyes were filled with hostility.

Whose pain would be greater? Alex’s, after realizing he had killed his own sister with his own hands, or mine, from killing him?

“Hah…”

If only Alex were the kind of person who could shamelessly live on after killing his sister.

But I knew. He wouldn’t be able to bear it.

“Alex, I’ll take on your share of the pain.”

I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would break. I deliberately kept my eyes open. It was my duty to witness Alex’s final moments.

And just as I raised Arondight—

“Astell!”

A body as solid as a fortress wrapped around me. A familiar scent soon filled my nostrils.

“Your Highness…?”

Dante, holding me tight, let out a great sigh of relief. He then cupped my cheeks and whispered in a raw voice.

“Why were you here? I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Dante was just Dante. He didn’t look like a monster, and his voice sounded normal.

They said he was a being separate from this world. It seemed he was unaffected by the hallucinatory fog.

I felt like crying. I was so happy to see a person as a person. Just that alone felt like I could breathe again. I was about to break into a smile when my eyes widened.

“Ah, what about Alex?”

“I pinned him over there. He can’t move.”

Alex was slumped against a wall somewhere.

He wasn’t unconscious, but he seemed to be crushed by Dante’s power. He couldn’t even lift a finger.

“I was late because I had to deal with the others on my way up.”

“Really? You did well!”

I moved to hug Dante tightly but grimaced. Something sharp was sticking out of his back.

I pulled out the monster’s claw and threw it aside.

“Your Highness, what is this!”

“You know. I can’t die.”

“But that doesn’t mean you don’t feel pain! There are so many other ways, why do you have to get hurt?”

“I thought you might remember me more this way.”

My heart clenched. Dante’s expression and mood were strange. Gripped by an inexplicable anxiety, I asked.

“Wh-what do you mean by that?”

“There isn’t much time left. I’m going to disappear soon.”

“Wh-what… So soon? No! Did the Administrator tell you that?”

“It’s not because the Administrator told me. I can feel it. I used too much power coming up here. I think that’s why my disappearance has sped up.”

Dante gazed at the fog-filled emptiness before his eyes met mine.

“When I disappear, the destruction will end. This fog will clear too.”

Did he not know that I was his savior? Or did he know and was pretending not to, unable to ask me to do such a thing?

“I’m worried about you. I won’t be able to comfort you even if you cry.”

“If you’re so worried about me, then don’t disappear! Stay by my side and endure!”

“Astell.”

I grabbed Dante’s collar and shook him frantically.

“N-no, this can’t be. There must be more time. So please…”

My teeth chattered. What if Dante just left so peacefully, as if he had no lingering attachments? I was terrified.

“Why are you so calm? I’m scared to death you’re going to disappear! Why are you so composed! How can you be!”

Tears welled up. I buried my face in Dante’s chest.

Dante slowly stroked the back of my head. His low voice gently enveloped me.

“Forget the dead. The Princess has done nothing wrong.”

“Forget the dead. You just wanted to live, sis. Why is that your fault? You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Those were the words Shinwoo had whispered to me endlessly in my past life, when I was tormented after killing my comrades on the 117th floor of the dungeon.

A beloved name escaped my throat.

“Shinwoo…”

“Yeah, sis.”

Dante replied calmly. As if he had guessed that I knew about his past life, his voice was serene, showing no sign of surprise.

“Don’t leave me alone. Please. I don’t want to be alone.”

“When did my big sister become such a whiner?”

Dante chuckled softly, then lifted my face. His long fingers gently wiped away the tears soaking my cheeks.

“I want to grant all of my sister’s wishes… but what can I do? I can’t grant that one.”

“Shinwoo…”

“I’m sorry.”

Dante’s expression was so sad that I was at a loss for words.

Now, I could feel it too. The end was truly near.

No, no. I shook my head frantically, then gripped his hand tightly.

The next moment, the tips of his fingers crumbled away like sand.

“Why… is this happening?”

I could only stare, wide-eyed in shock, as Dante collapsed to the floor. I hastily caught him in my arms.

“N-no… No! Shinwoo! Don’t go! Don’t leave me!”

“Close… your eyes…. Don’t look…”

Dante’s hair turned stark white from the roots. From his black eyes, crimson tears of blood fell. His body couldn’t withstand the hellish agony.

Dante’s feet disappeared. Only half of his hands remained. Blood trickled from his pain-twisted lips before turning to gray ash and evaporating.

“Shinwoo! Shinwoo! No! P-please, someone help! Please!”

I wept like a madwoman, clutching only at the hem of his clothes, terrified that if I touched his body, it would crumble to dust.

Was this the pain of having one’s skin flayed with a dull knife? Was this the agony of rolling naked over a bed of needles? I had never felt such horrific, devastating pain.

Dante moved his blackened lips with his last ounce of strength. The blood, now gray ash, scattered like a heat haze.

“I l-love you. Sis…. Now… be happy… happy…”

You always think only of my happiness. But I’ve never once dreamed of a happiness without you.

I pressed my lips to Dante’s forehead as it turned to ash and whispered. A tear fell.

“Shinwoo, I’ll make the pain go away.”

Just like I always did.

I glared into the empty air and shouted.

“Come out.”

“…”

“Come out now!”

The Administrator appeared as if he had been watching all along.

Time stopped again.

The swirling fog, the twitching Alex, the groaning Dante—everything froze.

“Child, have you given it some thought?”

“That’s why I called you.”

“Ooh, the finale is finally upon us!”

The Administrator clapped his hands frivolously, overjoyed. He seemed oblivious to our miserable, desperate state, like a completely innocent child.

“Good, very good! So, what will you do? You’re going with the second option, right?”

“No.”

“Then… don’t tell me, the first? You’re going to live as a vegetable for sixty years because you can’t handle a little guilt?”

“No.”

“Oh, come on! Why are you dragging this out? Stop teasing me and just tell me!”

The Administrator stomped his feet. He looked utterly impatient.

“It’s not the first, is it? It’s the second, right? I told you I’d let you break the natural order. Right? I’m right, aren’t I?”

“You… you really thought that would make me happy.”

“Don’t you remember what you desperately wished for before you died in your past life? You wanted to live a healthy and happy life in a peaceful world.”

I let out a small laugh and held Dante closer. I pressed our chests together and let his limp head rest on my shoulder.

“You’re a god, yet you know nothing.”

“What don’t I know?”

“I never wanted a happy life without Shinwoo.”

“What… what does that mean?”

“It means I won’t move according to your scenario.”

“What?”

The Administrator’s eyes widened.

Watching our reflection in his clear pupils, I reversed my grip on Arondight and raised it toward Dante’s back.

Then, I poured all my strength into my arm.

Plunge! The sword pierced through Dante’s torso and embedded itself in my heart. At the same moment, the Administrator screamed.

“Nooooo! My scenario… My perfect scenario…!”

That was my last memory.