The Returner

“You can’t stop the demonic energy from invading one’s brain through regular means . ” (Erukana)

Erukana continued on with her explanation .

“The reason why you can’t is pretty simple . Demonic energy invading one’s brain is the basis of dark magic itself . If you want to wield magic, then you don’t have a choice . The problem with this is that the dark magical powers contain negative energy . ” (Erukana)

“Yes . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Humans are creatures that maintain a certain equilibrium . Their whole existence would crumble away if the balance is tilted too far to one side . ” (Erukana)

“Of course . ” (Affeldrichae)

“So, the person accepting far too much dark magical powers will inevitably become a creature of darkness – simply put, an undead . Because, that person won’t be able to maintain ‘life’, as it were . ” (Erukana)

Affeldrichae didn’t say anything and listened to the explanation . She already knew all of this . However, she believed that there was a reason why Erukana bothered to explain it regardless .

“As for why you can’t endure it? Your whole body being tainted by the dark Mana, that’s what . Although it’s funny to call it ‘taint’ since I’m a demon king, that’s how it is . In any case . The meaning behind dark Mana tainting you – you aren’t being ‘dyed’, but are being ‘transformed’ . Which means… . ” (Erukana)

Erukana’s eyes shone brightly .

“Purification is impossible . ” (Erukana)

“…… . . ”

Affeldrichae sighed under her breath .

“So, it’s an obvious ending . ” (Affeldrichae)

“However, what if you are not trying to purify?” (Erukana)

“… . Excuse me?” (Affeldrichae)

“With creation and regeneration, we might be able to revert his body back to how it was in the beginning . ” (Erukana)

“But, that’s the domain of the G.o.ds . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Of course it is . It’s a problem of the methods involved . I’m saying that there is a method . It’s almost impossible, but it’s not an impossibility, isn’t it?” (Erukana)

“……… . . ”

Affeldrichae’s thoughts became much more complicated . The power of creation was indeed the domain of the G.o.ds .

‘… . Latrel . ’ (Affeldrichae)

Could the G.o.ddess of Light, Latrel, be able to regenerate Yi Ji-Hyuk’s body?

‘No, it’s still difficult . ’ (Affeldrichae)

She was sceptical about it .

If the G.o.ddess possessed enough power to bring this scenario into reality, then rather than sending her believers to stop Yi Ji-Hyuk, she would’ve simply erased the dark Mana from his body in the first place .

“Hah-ah… . ” (Affeldrichae)

Which meant that not even Latrel and her authority as a G.o.d could do anything to the creature from ‘another world’, Yi Ji-Hyuk . As for the G.o.ds of this world, only their traces remained .

Humans of this world were basically independent creatures that had escaped from the G.o.ds and their meddling .

“There’s no point, then . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Maybe . ” (Erukana)

Erukana formed a strange expression and stared at Affeldrichae before reaching out to pat the latter’s head .

“You really like my darling, don’t you? Worrying about such things and all?” (Erukana)

“… . . You wouldn’t know . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Ng?” (Erukana)

“You won’t understand it . Because, you can’t fully understand him . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Oh, so a lizard can? I’m sure you can’t understand him fully yourself?” (Erukana)

“That’s indeed the case . However… . ” (Affeldrichae)

A demon was a creature that tainted the others .

If they found someone to their liking, they would try to turn that person into a similar being as themselves . They would seduce, coerce, and ultimately, corrupt .

However, the creatures called dragons simply watched on .

Even if they found someone that defied a.n.a.lysis, they would simply observe from the distance . When such behaviour continued on and on… .

“I’ve gone insane . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Definitely . ” (Erukana)

Erukana stared at Affeldrichae in obvious amus.e.m.e.nt .

Dragons were unchanging creatures .

Their changes of emotions were minute at best, and since they were so-called complete beings, they didn’t get affected by other creatures, either .

They were quite strict when it came to separating one’s sense of self from that of others, and didn’t get affected by their environments or foreign individuals . This nature probably had something to do with them being ‘born’ from eggs .

Recalcitrant, stubborn mules, that’s what they were .

You’d be correct in calling them completely unreasonable beings .

Both humans and demons didn’t care who they interacted with, but dragons didn’t even mingle all that much among their own kind . And that made them isolated creatures .

However, Affeldrichae was different .

She had lived for a long time . She was even occupying the supreme position of the Lord, yet she was still being influenced by a mere human being . Although, one couldn’t really label Yi Ji-Hyuk as a ‘mere human being’ anymore .

“Will you be fine?” (Erukana)

“Excuse me?” (Affeldrichae)

“You came here after throwing away the position of the Lord . ” (Erukana)

“Yes, I did . ” (Affeldrichae)

“I’m sure you are fine living like this . For now . However, a human’s lifespan isn’t infinite . Even if you manage to stop the erosion, my darling will eventually die . In that case, how are you planning to endure the remaining near-infinite amount of time left?” (Erukana)

“…… . . ”

“A dragon’s memories last forever . You’ll be caught by the reminiscence of my darling’s ghost and live in constant h.e.l.l . You know this, don’t you?” (Erukana)

“Yes . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Yet, was it worth forsaking everything?” (Erukana)

Affeldrichae smiled brightly . So much so that even Erukana momentarily thought she was beautiful .

“That’s not something you should be saying, oh the thirteenth demon king . ” (Affeldrichae)

“Touché . ” (Erukana)

Erukana broke into a fit of giggles . She then reached out to pinch Yi Ji-Hyuk’s cheek .

“He’s such a bad man . ” (Erukana)

“He sure is . ” (Affeldrichae)

“He should be grateful that beautiful females are being affectionate to him . His head is too big for his own good . ” (Erukana)

Affeldrichae also broke into a gentle chuckle .

She and Erukana were two beings on the opposing sides . Without the buffer called Yi Ji-Hyuk here, they would’ve started fighting tooth and nail to kill one another the moment they met .

However, he didn’t discriminate whether you were a dragon or a demon .

‘And that’s why he must’ve been so lonely . ’ (Affeldrichae)

He was all alone, unable to feel a sense of belonging to any one species .

“How long do you think he has?” (Affeldrichae)

“Who knows . ” (Erukana)

Erukana scratched her cheek .

“For me, the concept of time can be really lengthy . It should be the same story for you, too . ” (Erukana)

“Of course . ” (Affeldrichae)

“So, it’s not easy for me to divide the time according to the human lifespan, something that’s about as long as a blink of an eye . It can be tomorrow, or nothing might happen until he dies of old age . ” (Erukana)

Affeldrichae quietly studied Erukana before opening her mouth .

“Isn’t this what you want?” (Affeldrichae)

“Want what?” (Erukana)

“If Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk becomes a demonic being, wouldn’t you be able to spend a really long time with him? Isn’t that scenario preferable from your perspective?” (Affeldrichae)

“Have you forgotten?” (Erukana)

“What do you mean?” (Affeldrichae)

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“Him becoming a demon does not mean that a new demon named Yi Ji-Hyuk will be born . No, the existence called Yi Ji-Hyuk will disappear, and another demon will simply replace him . The memories might be the same, but everything else will be different . When that happens, my darling will no longer be my darling . ” (Erukana)

“………”

“I have no need for an empty sh.e.l.l . I don’t care what my darling is as long as it’s him . That’s enough for me . However, if the innards change while the exterior remains the same, then I’ll have no choice but to hate the existence wearing that exterior . That’s just what I am . ” (Erukana)

Affeldrichae thought that she could sympathise with that sentiment . Because she too felt the same .

“Except that… . ” (Erukana)

“Yes?” (Affeldrichae)

“I too have a sense of aesthetics, so I get this compulsion to fix my darling’s facial features every now and then . ” (Erukana)

Nod .

Affeldrichae nodded her head even unbeknownst to herself .

There was no issue, since they were different species? Even humans knew how to differentiate attractive dogs from ugly ones .

“Accepting him as he is won’t be an easy task . ” (Erukana)

“I guess so . ” (Affeldrichae)

Snore… .

Yi Ji-Hyuk remained blissfully oblivious to what others were talking about him and continued to snore away .

Cold .

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So cold .

He stopped smelling that disgusting stench a long time ago .

But, how long had it been?

‘Why couldn’t you at least allow me to go insane??’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk listened to the falling water drops and closed his eyes .

The divide between day and night disappeared, and his sense of time was slowly fading away, too . He could only sense that he was simply alive in this place .

‘Wait, am I even alive?’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

The meaning of staying alive seemed uncertain at this stage .

If breathing was the indication of one being alive, then he did qualify as a living creature . However, if the meaning of being alive was to move, to react and to change, then he was definitely dead .

… . While he was still breathing .

This was the worst prison in the whole of the continent, the Belcatraz .

Trapped in the deepest part of a mine shaft where no light could reach – it had already been a full year since he got imprisoned here, half-submerged in icy water .

“Kekeke . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Hunger relentlessly hounded him .

Another being would have died in three days having failed to endure . But to Yi Ji-Hyuk, death was a luxury he couldn’t enjoy . His senses that should’ve become numb by now remained endlessly sharp, and his mental state that should’ve broken down woke up again and again .

Not even his hatred could carry on, his resentments seemingly turning into stones . Even if there was h.e.l.l, he’d not suffer torment as bad as this .

“Hah-ah… . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk sighed under his breath .

“This is tedious . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

The only thing coming to visit him now was boredom . Also, the hatred that sometimes flared up every now and then before forcibly being suppressed .

He got imprisoned here only because his skin colour and his face was different from the others .

Understanding him?

Such things didn’t exist .

Dialogue?

Stop dreaming .

To them, he was simply an alien . Not someone who lived in another place and then showing up here, but a completely alien being .

‘I’ll kill them all . ’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Fury ruled over his entire being .

“Uwaaaaaaaaah!!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

He screamed out endlessly towards the unseen depths of darkness . The ghostly wail reverberated throughout the deep mine shaft, and it turned the Belcatraz seemingly into the den of demons .

It had been over half a year since food stopped coming .

He might have tried to escape already were it not for the fact that the iron bars here couldn’t be broken; not only the insane prison guards decided to use forged steel as cell’s bars, but they were reinforced with magic, too .

He could’ve torn his own body and escaped if these were regular metal bars, but there wasn’t much he could do against magic .

No matter what he did, he’d get reflected back .

“Kekekeke . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk reached out towards the steel bars .

Pah-jijijik… .

His hand began burning away .

‘So bright . ’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

As his hand burned, the surroundings got illuminated . It was one of a few hobbies he could enjoy in this place .

… . Seeing the light burn .

… . Confirming that the darkness wasn’t the only thing existing in this place .

“I guess it’s now time to make my decision . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

He couldn’t stay here any longer .

The only reason why he remained in this place for such a long time was his fear of the mine collapsing on him by accident while he was digging his way out . If that happened, he’d have to spend an eternity trapped under the rubble .

The only free thing his body could do – moving around – being taken away was probably the worst punishment he could think of .

“Kekekekeke . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk cackled on .

And he was crying, too .

What sins did he commit to end up in such a wretched state?

“I’ll kill them all . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Humans .

No, those wearing a facade of humanity .

As soon as he gets out of here, he’ll make them all pay dearly .

For the crime of imprisoning him in this place .

Even though his hatred would get reset periodically, this thought didn’t change . Meaning, he wasn’t wrong . This thought didn’t come about from the feelings of a moment .

They might have been humans to him, but at the same time, not .

“Kekeke . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk cackled on before taking in deep breaths .

If G.o.ds really existed… .

If G.o.ds really didn’t lift a finger while he suffered like this, then he swore to rip them apart, too . And he’d repay in kind to those that made him this way .

With this hatred .

With this terror… .

“Euh, euh… . ” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk gritted his teeth and threw himself forward .

Pah-jijijijijik!!

His entire body now caught fire .

This sensation of his entire body going up in flames – the worst pain a human could ever experience, along with his consciousness that didn’t want to cut out, began taking over his body .

“Uwaaaaaaaah-!!!”

The scream exploding out from his throat soon got cut off .

His vocal chords were damaged too extensively to make a sound now .

Yi Ji-Hyuk replaced his screams with silence and continued to advance forward . All the while, unable to see anything as his eyes had already melted away .

‘I’ll kill them all . ’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

This was his attempt number one thousand, eight hundred, and ninety .

Yi Ji-Hyuk pressed forward before his brain could melt away .

The soundless scream filled up the mine shaft .

< 307="" .="" ah,="" so="" this="" is="" what="" national="" disgrace="" is="" like="" -2=""> Fin .