Chapter 622: Untainted Truth (4)
Cha Hee-ra’s gaze from behind bothered me, but it was a point in time that I was reluctant to look back for some reason.
I thought the first step was to approach Raphael for the time being.
We hadn’t had a proper conversation since he ran out.
I thought it would be okay to leave him alone for a while, but I didn’t want it to be prolonged.
Of course, he was enough of a threat that I couldn’t approach him recklessly. Pretending not to know that Raphael was a demon contractor informant, I had no choice but to create a character to respond to the current situation.
Externally, Lee Kiyoung was simply worrying about Raphael.
I judged that the future he saw through Yuno Kasugano was terrifying and shocking to him.
‘A typical cliché.’
I had seen many moments where the protagonist of a grand adventure became frightened by the destiny that lay before them, preventing them from proceeding.
In fact, I didn’t know what Raphael was thinking, but since I considered such details as important, I had to watch him, even if it was only from a distance.
As his supporting role, I should’ve wanted our hero to overcome it by himself.
Of course, the reality was different.e…
‘If Raphael thinks that way, then I don’t care.’
It was important for him to realize why Cardinal Lee Kiyoung was worried about him.
As I moved to another place with a worrisome face, I immediately noticed his expression that seemed to tell me his soul had escaped. He couldn’t even complete the basic physical training directed by Cha Hee-ra, and the way he stared at a distance was quite a sight to behold.
It wasn’t at the same level as Kim Hyunsung’s vegetated state during the Doom Kiyoung incident, but he seemed troubled.
‘No, is it irrational to compare this to that time?’
That comparison itself was flawed, considering the earlier incident could only be solved by going into Hyunsung’s mind.
“Er…”
I moved a bit, but he didn’t seem to notice me.
“Raphael.”
When I called out to him, he finally looked at me.
‘What should I say?’
The only thing that was okay was that I didn’t feel hostility from how he looked at me.
However, there seemed to be some doubts in his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah… Kiyoung.”
“If you’re not feeling well, you can rest a bit.”
“No. Such a thing…”
“You don’t have to overdo it.”
When I poured sacred power into his body that was turned into rags due to Cha Hee-ra’s training, I noticed his reluctance.
He might’ve already known that I used divine power, but how embarra.s.sing would it be to feel that it was actually healing him?
It must’ve been clear that what he felt wasn’t ordinary divine power. It wasn’t only clear, transparent, and clean, but its purity was 100% from Benignore.
Of course, the amount was weak, but that wasn’t a problem in treating such wounds.
Naturally, he tried to keep a straight face.
I instantly determined what kind of face I would show. It was correct to keep a complex expression.
For example, one that seemed to be able to understand the desire to run away.
One that didn’t want to drive a young man who had just become an adult into the battlefield.
However, I kept behaving as if I had no choice but to take responsibility. I needed a face that showed a lot of complex emotions.
Of course, I had to think about how to show such faces emotions.
The moment I sincerely confronted his situation, it seemed that a similar face was naturally built up.
For everyone who lived on that land, their reality was that a young man who wanted to escape from combat had to be thrown into the battlefield.
It was pure sympathy for Raphael, who had to embrace all the burdens and fight imaginable horrors just because the Holy Sword chose him.
‘Sh*t…’
How brutal was the reality? Tears were gathering in my eyes unknowingly. I forcefully bit down on my lips tightly, but all it did was stop the tears from flowing out.
“I’m sorry… for not being able to tell you that you don’t have to fight.”
“No, Kiyoung…”
“I know you’re scared.”
“…”
“Because I know you lived a normal life until a while ago.”
“…”
“These are the ones Raphael should aim at. The ones that are cruel, self-righteous, and want to put humanity at their feet. These are the ones who will be a threat to humanity. Just as exactly what you saw.”
“…”
“A lot of people will die if someone doesn’t act on their behalf. After the deaths of countless heroes and soldiers fighting in the last war, the ordinary people living on the continent will be next. An ordinary old man, a family dreaming about the future, children looking at the backs of adults, a young man who cannot spread his wings, everyone will die painfully at the hands of the invading demons.”
When I stopped talking for a moment and looked at him, I felt as if he was thinking about what att.i.tude to take.
Raphael nodded as he looked at a far-off spot for a moment. It felt like he was telling me his behavior wasn’t because of what I was worrying about… and that he was troubled by something else.
His face seemed like he didn’t know just what kind of man Lee Kiyoung was.
‘What are you thinking about? It’s what it exactly looks like. Just stop thinking. Do what I tell you to do, and I will solve it for you.’
It seemed like he was really asking me what kind of human I was.
It wouldn’t be too much to want to answer.
‘Rather than agitation and fabrication made out of some laughable material…’
Shouldn’t anyone trust the facts they saw with their own eyes?
‘That’s why incitement is scary, f.u.c.k.’
Why didn’t such a quote exist?
A word was enough to cause an incitement, but it took over hundreds of pieces of evidence to prove that it wasn’t true. I couldn’t help but think that that was the case.
Hadn’t I already proved that I wasn’t such a bad guy many times? However, I didn’t have to be nervous. It would take a little time, but I knew the truth was the way to win.
“I’m not telling you to… take responsibility.”
“…”
“I’m not telling you to stand in front of us.”
“…”
“Do you remember what I said in the beginning?”
“Yes… Kiyoung.”
“…”
“I remember. You asked me… not to let go of the sword… and to fight together until the end.”
“It would be natural to be scared and afraid. No one in this world is not afraid of war, bloodshed, or conflict. The same is true for me. The battle ahead of us is fearsome, and I’m scared for the people who will be hurt by it. I am afraid that I might harm someone with my own hands, and I am afraid that they will lose their life.”
“…”
“It’s not just me. Everyone will be afraid. Even the heroes that are waiting for the incoming enemies in numerous fields and those who are still training in boot camps. The responsibilities may be different, but they too will be afraid.”
“Yeah…”
“There are some who fall into that fear and make mistakes…”
‘For example, the demon contractors you know.’
“Most of the soldiers will be looking straight ahead with this fear. They’ll be getting ready to lift their sword facing the shapeless enemy with courage. They have been that way since before.”
“…”
“Yes, from a long time ago. They must have been fighting that way even before I came to this continent. In many cases, people in power who are blinded by greed can be swept away by wars and be driven out regardless of their own will, but the common citizens… have to lift their swords for what they want to protect.”
“…”
“For our beloved family, country, and people. Each has different ideologies and values, but… those who are in this place right now are those kinds of people.”
“…”
“They will go through a difficult process, but in the end, it will happen. I believe they will stand up and shout of victory, as they’ve always done. That’s why I’m not afraid. I’m not scared because I believe in those who will fight with me.”
Although I talked as much as I could, there was no way I wasn’t afraid to fight on the battlefield because of the soldiers fighting with conviction.
I could stand on the battlefield because I had a firm belief that backups like Kim Hyunsung, Jung Hayan, and Cha Hee-ra wouldn’t leave me alone.
‘You must have this kind of faith.’
“You too…”
“…”
“I think you’ll come to understand my words one day.”
“…”
“I’m sure you’ll overcome what you’re going through, and I believe you’ll be able to stand up with the Holy Sword in hand. I believe… that there is a reason… why Benignore’s sword chose you.”
“…”
Silence embraced us for a moment.
I had been eagerly encouraging that he could overcome it, but he wouldn’t listen to me.
Not only couldn’t I solve his problem, but even though I worded it nicely, it was no different than telling him to go to the war and fight.
Of course, we knew that we shouldn’t end up talking about it.
The character Light Kiyoung wasn’t a person who sacrificed individuals for the group. He wasn’t the one who acted for profit in front of his eyes. I thought I had to be as rational as I could and give up for the sake of the cause, but I was forced to be shaken by emotions… I was such a tender person.
I slowly continued quietly.
“However…”
“…”
“But if you really don’t want to fight…”
“…”
“You can go back to your normal…”
“Kiyoung.”
“Even if you go back to your normal life… it doesn’t matter. Raphael deserves the life he wants to live.”
‘If you don’t want to fight, you can just go. Of course, without you, we will all die… but I can’t stand to see a promising kid like you suffering. You know what I’m talking about, right? You know that if you just go here, the atmosphere will suddenly get worse, right?’
Of course, he wouldn’t have any intention of leaving either.
Leaving like that would be like turning his back on his life-long mission.
However, apart from that, I wondered if the words I’d been talking about were quite entangled in his mind.
‘It’s too weak to be a final blow.’
Considering the probability, I thought it wasn’t that bad.
Of course, I didn’t forget to send a bitter smile.
I slowly put my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes as he became as stiff as a statue.
‘…’
He avoided my gaze.
‘What?’
I didn’t know what it meant when he flinched as if my arm on his shoulder was uncomfortable.
‘You, this b.a.s.t.a.r.d…’
“…”
‘You, are you rejecting me, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d?’
For some reason, it felt like it scratched my pride.
‘Do you dare reject the light?’
I had to think about whether I was too soft in playing that game.
It was so ridiculous that I was trying to resist a laugh coming out of my mouth.
I even thought about blowing his head away. I slowly breathed out so that it wouldn’t show.
That was the first thought that came into my head, though many thoughts made my head complicated afterward.
‘Let’s see who wins, you demon-contracting b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.’
I agreed to take the issue seriously.