Episode 357: Lullaby of the End (2)
“If what you said back then isn’t a lie, choose now.”
As Lars spoke, his pupils were filled with light.
A face completely different from before.
He has made up his mind now. He now realizes what is right for the kingdom and for those he loves.
death.
It’s extreme, but one thing is for sure.
The power to save someone.
It is obtained from someone’s death.
If there is a sacrifice of his own, maybe Jaehyun will save one person as he said. At least he doesn’t lie.
He was that kind of person from the start.
If he could buy some time now, he might be able to save one of his family members, as he boasted.
Help rebuild the elven kingdom again… .
As his friend, he will somehow prevent the current war and tragedy.
He had faith in clear representation.
‘Ras… … .’
Meanwhile, Jaehyun was also realizing.
perhaps… Just maybe, death might save Lars.
That it might be able to slightly change the history of 10,000 years ago, when not a single person could be saved.
Can’t deny that.
Because of that, Jaehyun stood there for a long time, unable to do anything.
At that moment, the sound of the system was heard again.
―The conditions for clearing the last hidden quest will be revealed.
[As long as there is only one ember remaining, the ember can rekindle at any time.]
Jaehyun remembered.
three sentences. It clearly explained the conditions for clearing the hidden quest.
Jaehyun repeated the conditions carefully.
first,
The choices are heavy.
second,
Sometimes stopping is the way forward.
third,
If there is only one ember left, it can rekindle at any time.
Jaehyun thought. three sentences… What it means.
‘Stop to advance, light one ember… choose to live… … .’
Jaehyun hurriedly clenched his fists as he watched Lars shake his shoulders.
Meanwhile, Tyr continued to attack without stopping. Jaehyun could not bear to avoid it and was thinking about the quest.
By the time the answer came out soon.
“Gagging… .”
Lars’ body had already been pierced by Tyr’s sword instead of himself.
is dying The godhead of Ras cannot be compared to that of Tyr. get crushed That would be the most appropriate expression.
The moment Lars pierced his body with a cold blade, he met Jaehyun’s eyes clearly even in the midst of dying.
His last grip was on Jaehyun’s shoulder.
“you… You can do it. I already heard from Louisa. you… that it is from the future. Apparently, Alfheim was destroyed there, and no one survived… couldn’t… ji.”
Everyone already knew.
Jaehyun was able to notice in that moment.
Even the soldiers who trained with him. Aindel, as well as Ruina and Lars.
Everyone knew. That they are dead and do not exist in the world of reappearance. and… .
Just like he said, Jaehyun has the power to save one person.
Soon, Lars’ body disintegrated.
Jaehyun sighed as he watched the end of it.
“… okay. I get it. Lars, do as you please.”
A continual storm. In the meantime, Jaehyun’s mouth slowly opened.
“Yggdrasil. I will tell you the conditions for clearing the 4th floor hidden.”
Blood leaked from Jaehyun’s teeth. He was with a heavy expression.
“I will give up this quest.”
Seeing Jaehyun say that, Seo Ina’s eyes narrowed.
If he knew Jaehyun, he was someone who would never give up.
But you mean abandoning the quest? why?
The time when she wandered without understanding.
They heard the familiar sound of the system.
―The climber gave up the quest.
―Hidden clear conditions have been achieved.
– Rewards are given. Who is the one person to be saved from Alfheim 10,000 years ago?
* * *
only one ember.
Hearing that last hint, Jaehyun felt the puzzle fit.
In the past, he had asked Hel.
[Is there any way to revive the anti-Aesir gods in the past, just like I returned to the past?]
Hel shook his head and said.
[Reviving something that existed in the past, or intervening in time to bring it back to the past requires a very high price. Maybe even when you come back, something huge has been consumed.
At least… okay. ‘The star of the distant abyss’ may have been used.]
A star in the far abyss.
Hel is an object that only exists in nine places in the world, and it is the Abyss of the Beginning. It was said to be a piece of Kinnungagape.
Jae-hyun couldn’t understand what kind of things Loki and the three Norn sisters consumed to return him to the past, and why they did that.
However, since others also said they had no memory of him, he thought that he had made that decision because he had value.
Because if it wasn’t worth it, they wouldn’t have made that choice.
Van Æsir paid such a price to save one human being.
however.
How much more would it cost to save all the elves here?
Also, how many sacrifices are needed to change fate?
Because of this, the quest had been informing them from the beginning.
can’t save them all
I’ll give you that chance so you can save the only one here.
So, somehow choose the most useful guy in time.
Jaehyun said with empty eyes.
“The existence I will save is… It’s Louis.”
At that moment, the world was dyed black as if it had gone dark.
At the same time, Seo In-na was also able to realize what choice Jae-hyun had made. he made a choice
After clearing the hidden quest, I decided who to save.
It was cruel, you could say, but she couldn’t say it.
It was because Jaehyun’s expression was too good to be reprimanded.
The first time I thought Kim Yu-jung was dead, the expression I saw then.
It was like that.
A look of self-blame. A sense of wonder from the face.
Even if you don’t know it well, it must be difficult to control the emotions boiling from the inside.
It’s just a memory.
Even if it was Jaehyun who said that at first, Seo Eana knew.
How warm-hearted Jaehyun was and how much he wanted to save the kingdom of elves. but… .
The result was this.
‘… The most painful thing right now is probably Jaehyun… .’
Her thoughts were indeed correct.
Jaehyun thought as he looked back on his life up until now.
I thought I was strong enough. So, I figured I could change it up for good this time too.
Because he changed his own destiny. Because it has turned the fate of others for the better.
but… There were things that even I couldn’t do.
In the end, the only thing he was able to save was one thing, as the system initially said.
It was just one person’s life.
Jaehyun looked around in the darkened space and saw Ruina crying out for her brother and mother. Her gaze and her Jaehyun’s gaze collided for a moment.
Ruina ran up to Jaehyun and grabbed him by the sleeve.
“Jae-hyung… What happened? What about my brother? how does mom… Help me. please… … .”
Jaehyun kept his mouth shut, then opened his mouth.
“From the beginning, there was only one person I could save. The Fall of Alfheim and Ragnarok… Because they all happened in the past.
… You should have already known.”
Transparent tears welled up in Ruina’s eyes.
“… … tragedy… I believed that you came to change.”
“My skills were lacking.”
Jaehyun lowered his head and said that.
Ruina tightened her grip on the skirt and a few drops of tears fell to the floor. Jaehyun’s lips were bitten tightly as she watched.
At that moment, the system sounds again in their ears.
―The final survivor of Alfheim from 10,000 years ago is Ruina.
―All records of other beings will be deleted inside the tower.
―To the designated target (Ruina), the external memory of the tower after 10,000 years is transmitted.
“I do not resent you. but… Please give me one answer.”
Jaehyun already knew what she was going to ask.
Ruina’s eyes turned to his. Clear, unfeigned eyes.
Sadness dwells in Jaehyun’s pupils who saw it.
“Why me?”
Louie’s words. Its meaning was clear.
Why did he save himself instead of Ras or Aindel?
He was neither a king nor a captain of the guards.
She was just a girl who was born with talent, and because she couldn’t fulfill her responsibilities, she passed it on to someone else.
But why… Why should I live
Even Jaehyun couldn’t answer clearly. However, he only answered as Lars said.
“Because Lars wanted it.”
When the decision was made, Aindel was already dead.
Saving others… thought it was not good
efficiency. Yes, it was a question of efficiency.
Because the others weren’t born with as much talent as Ruina. So she saved her.
Elves are a race that can live for thousands of years without difficulty.
In the meantime, if she grows up steadily, she will be able to play an active part in Ragnarok, and then her own responsibilities as an adversary will be relieved.
Yes, that’s just why.
very insignificant.
“Because I needed you.”
Because of that, Jaehyun had no choice but to say that. Ruina didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t change his answer.
because that was all Because I didn’t want to wrap my choice into another lie.
It was a terribly painful reality, but Jaehyun saved her life to use her.
Just as the first anti-Aesir coalition arbitrarily chose itself as its adversary. It was nothing more than delegating her duties to her.
However, even so, Jaehyun wanted to say something.
It was also a promise I made to myself.
“I will kill Odin and end the tragedy here.”
Ruina rubbed her eyes and looked at Jaehyun.
“… Can you really do that? You couldn’t do that this time either. It’s not that I don’t trust Jaehyun, but… It is not easy.”
“okay. it failed But it’s not like I didn’t do anything.”
Jaehyun reached out his hand toward the sunken Ruina.
“You survived. Unlike the past I know.”
Seo Ina also smiled softly at Ruina.
“… Tyr would have been hurt quite deeply at that level. Even though we couldn’t save them all, we somehow… I’ll make it. So that everyone can sleep peacefully.”
“… … is that so.”
“okay. So don’t worry about it, just wait for 10,000 years while recuperating. Please don’t die early by rushing out.”
“… huh! all right! I won’t die until I meet Jaehyun-nim as my groom.”
“Then, I will never die.”
When Jaehyun smiled and said, Ruina also smiled faintly with tears in her eyes as if responding to his laughter.
that was the last
A warm light embraced them…
Within Ruina and the 4th floor. Alfheim disappeared without a trace.
Along with that, Jaehyun and Seo Ina heard the voice of someone small and delicate. It’s soft like a lullaby…
It was also a warm and beautiful melody.
Jaehyun realized. Why was this quest called Lullaby of the End?
“Good night. Lars, Aindel.”
Jaehyun looked at the empty darkness and said. Soon after, the sound of the system sounded.
―You have cleared Yggdrasil’s 《4th Layer: Lullaby of the End》.
‘ha.’
Jaehyun thought as he calmed down his breathing.
‘All that’s left is… Only one layer.’
The breath was young in both of his eyes. anger mingled between them.
It would smelt him even harder.
He never doubted it.
