“Can he really do it, Wesley?”
“I don’t know,” Wesley replied. “But if he can’t, I’ve already sent a request. This time, they responded.”
In the mansion’s living room, two servants sat discussing the situation. Wesley, the head servant, and another staff member.
“Now? They should’ve sent reinforcements earlier! Why wait until we report there’s a demon in Mori Forest?”
Wesley sighed. “It is what it is. I don’t know what His Majesty is thinking, but they’re finally sending people to clear out the demons.”
With an Archdemon lurking, it was likely there were more demons hiding in the forest.
He glanced around, suddenly remembering something. “By the way, where’s Aaron? I haven’t seen him since this afternoon.”
“He said he’s resting in his room.”
“Really? That’s a shame. He could’ve assisted the professor.”
Aaron was the most skilled in magic among the staff. If anyone could have assisted the professor, it was him.
Just then, the front door burst open, and another servant rushed in.
“Wesley, it’s here!”
Both servants turned to him.
“The comet! It’s finally here!”
* * *
Bang!
——What’s wrong, Eun-woo? Why are you staring at me like that?
“….Shut up.”
Swoosh——!
——What? I told you not to look at me like that. You ungrateful child. I took you and your sister in when no one else wanted you.
“Shut up….”
——You look just like Oppa when you glare at me like that.
“Ah.”
The memory hit him like a tidal wave, one he had buried deep within his thoughts. He had forgotten why he couldn’t just leave his aunt behind.
Of all the negative emotions he harbored toward his aunt, there was one that seemed out of place.
Pity.
He had felt pity for her.
She could have been lying, but if it was true…. the cycle of abuse never really ended.
——That worthless brother of mine, taking his frustrations out on me. I have no reason to take in his shitty kids, you know? You should be grateful!
“Because of the money my parents left behind.”
——Talking back, you brat?!
———!
An explosion rocked the ground as Vanitas collided with the Archdemon.
He wasn’t a knight. His body wasn’t built like one. Yet here he was, fighting up close, exchanging blows.
——Tell me, Eun-woo. Do you resent me?
“….I do.”
——Do you hate me?
“Even if I die, I would still hate you.”
Bang!
Vanitas was sent flying, crashing against a tree. The impact rattled his bones, and he felt a sharp pain in his ribs. His defensive buffs had absorbed some of the damage, but not all of it.
Coughing, he staggered to his feet as he wiped the blood from his lips. The Archdemon stood there, staring at him with glowing eyes that seemed to bore deep into his soul.
The Archdemon lunged again, but this time, Vanitas was ready.
“I wish I weren’t so blind back then,” he muttered, dodging to the side. “Even if it made life harder, I should’ve left with Eun-ah when I had the chance.”
Staying with someone drowning in debt, surrounded by loan sharks, and burdened with endless problems—it was obvious they’d be caught in the crossfire sooner or later.
That was one of his biggest regrets.
——Then why didn’t you?
“Because of you!”
Crackle——!
“You told me about my father! How he was! What he did to you! How he ruined your life! The scars, the cuts he left on you!”
Looking back now, he realized it. Every time he thought of retaliating against his aunt’s constant abuse, he was guilt-tripped by certain stories she would tell him of her own past.
“I didn’t know any better! I was just a stupid kid who thought he had to take responsibility for his father’s mistakes!”
——You really are a good child, Eun-woo. It’s a shame you were born into a family filled with nothing but problems.
“Shut up.”
Swoosh——!
Casting a Windburst, Vanitas distanced himself from the Archdemon after the constant exchange.
“Even then, my father changed. He never hurt me, my mother, or Eun-ah.”
——Didn’t he? Oppa really changed after what he did to me. Don’t you think it’s unfair?
“….”
Those words again.
How could he argue against that?
——Do you wish it was you who had killed me back then?
“….”
Again, Vanitas fell silent. He hated his aunt. He resented her so much that he had imagined ending her life countless times. But despite all that, he could never bring himself to do it.
“Why did you protect me back then?” he asked. “You let them take Eun-ah, but you wouldn’t let them take me. You took the knife that was meant for me.”
——Didn’t you ask me this before?
“You never answered.”
Or rather, she couldn’t.
Because by then, her eyes had already gone lifeless.
——It’s such an obvious answer. Because you had value. You were a smart child who could get into any university if you wanted to.
“That’s not a reason to abandon Eun-ah!”
——And is that really what you believe?
“….”
——You were relieved, weren’t you? That it was her and not you?
“No…. I….”
——Then why are you guilty when it comes to Eun-ah?
“….”
Slash——!
Tendrils of dark magic tore through the air, slicing into his shoulder. A sharp pain shot through him, but Vanitas gritted his teeth and kept moving.
Blood dripped down his arm, but he didn’t stop.
“Shut up,” he muttered as the passive buffs tended to his injuries somewhat.
◆ Speeds up wound recovery.
The Archdemon lunged again. Vanitas barely dodged, countering with an Earth Cannon spell that blasted the creature back.
——You were always so naive, Eun-woo.
“Shut up.”
——Me aside, you’re just as messed up. Maybe even worse?
“Shut up.”
——It’s funny. After everything, you never got your revenge. You never even found Eun-ah. And all you did was get your new guardian killed. Teacher Min-jeong, was it?
“….”
——And those friends you made in the military…. How do you think their families felt when they died because of you?
Bang!
——All those jobs you took. You were so close too, for no reason.
It was the truth. Thirty-three years was enough for Chae Eun-woo to experience almost everything a man could in a lifetime.
An honor student, a loan shark, a chauffeur, a bartender, a soldier, a spy, an agent, a double agent, a factory worker, a street vendor, a security guard, a janitor, a low-level office worker.
So on and so forth.
He had lived under many names. He had known joy. He had tasted sorrow so deep it left scars no one could see.
He had felt guilt eating away at him, anger that burned hotter than any flame, betrayal, and regret that ate away at his very conscience.
He had been betrayed. And he had betrayed others.
Boom——!
And he had taken more lives than he could count.
◆ Capacity: 11,211/18,590
——You got lucky the government was too busy dealing with the North back then. If they weren’t, they would’ve tracked you down and killed you for treason.
“….”
——And after escaping abroad, you just…. played games? Haha~
Vanitas gritted his teeth, blood dripping down his forehead. He wanted to shut out the voice. To drown out the memories pressing against his skull.
But the figure of his aunt overlapping with the Archdemon kept talking.
And he couldn’t tell if it was the demon’s words or his own thoughts echoing back at him.
Maybe these were the thoughts that gnawed at his mind all along. Words he didn’t want to hear, but could never truly escape.
Yet, they served as a reminder.
A reminder that Chae Eun-woo existed. That Chae Eun-woo was a separate entity that existed within Vanitas Astrea.
“You know damn well why I’m here.”
Crackle——!
——You think such a thing exists? Don’t confuse fiction with reality, Eun-woo.
“I didn’t expect you to understand.”
——Oh, but I do.
“….”
His breath hitched. A cold touch brushed against his chin from behind. At the same moment, the overlapping figure of his aunt and the demon vanished.
The voice was so close. It felt like a whisper against his ear.
——I know everything, Eun-woo. I raised you, remember? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have survived. You wouldn’t have all those experiences.
“….”
——We both know the truth, Eun-woo. You could have killed this demon several times already. But you didn’t.
The feeling of something cold caressing his cheek, sending shivers down his spine.
——Because deep down, even now, you can’t stand up to me.
He moved. He dodged. He attacked. Each strike countered the Archdemon’s relentless assault—as well as taking his own fair share of damage.
——Thirty-three years old, yet you’re still the same helpless child.
“….”
Crackle——!
——Eun-woo, my sweet boy. Even with that new face, you’re still chasing a ghost.
“Shut up.”
◆ Capacity: 9,211/18,590
——Do you really think you can protect what you have now? A loser in his first life is still a loser in his second.
“Get out of my head!”
Boom——!
An explosion resounded through the forest as Vanitas cast—Mass Explosion, an Intermediate spell.
——You’ll never escape me, Eun-woo. We both know that.
“….”
His amethyst eyes glinted as he focused on the Archdemon’s mangled figure.
The position, the angle, the timing—everything seemed to align for the final blow.
Dark clouds gathered above, swallowing the stars, the comet streaking across the sky, the heavenly bodies.
Fwoo~
The swirling winds grew colder as Vanitas’s mana slowly dwindled. Rain slowly poured from the clouds above.
———!
The Archdemon’s dark magic lashed out in every direction. Its body, torn and disfigured from countless attacks, struggled to hold itself together.
But Vanitas wasn’t in good shape either.
His body was filled with deep cuts, to the point where it would be a surprise to a third-party how he was still conscious.
“Haa…. H-haa….”
No, in truth, he was limping.
——It’s been fun, Eun-woo.
Drip. Drip…!
Vanitas squinted against the heavy downpour, which had turned into what felt like a raging hurricane.
“Cumulonimbus.”
Bang———!
A deafening crack of thunder split the sky. A bolt of lightning struck down with immense force, reducing the Archdemon to ashes in an instant. The impact shook the ground, sending waves of heat and flames across the area.
The force of the blast sent Vanitas flying backward, crashing through the soaked earth, and rolling several times before coming to a stop.
“….”
He laid there for a moment, rain soaking his face as his body screamed in pain.
But he felt nothing.
Just emptiness.
Because deep down, he was well aware of the truth.
Everything his aunt had said.… was really just his own thoughts.
Clap, clap, clap—!
A sudden applause echoed, pulling him out of his thoughts. Exhausted, he turned his head to see where it was coming from.
A figure approached from a distance.
“Wow~! What a fight!” the man said, his voice filled with excitement.
Vanitas was too tired to react, too drained to be surprised.
But he recognized the man. He had seen him earlier that morning, listening to the staff as they discussed various matters.
A man with purple hair.
“Over here.”
Vanitas turned his gaze slightly. The man stood over him with his hands behind his back. He glanced to the side, but the approaching figure had vanished—no, he had moved too fast before Vanitas could even register.
“….”
“Completely unexpected!” the man grinned. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you lately. Your name’s been popping up a lot! But now that I’ve seen you myself, you might be just what I’m looking for, Vanitas Astrea!”
“….”
Vanitas tried to speak, but the pain in his body gnawed at him.
“It’s fine,” the man said casually. “I’m just here to evaluate.”
Vanitas’s vision blurred, and the man’s voice was becoming more and more annoying.
“Now, here’s the deal. Nod once if you accept, shake if you refuse.”
“….”
“Vanitas Astrea,” the man continued. “How would you like to serve under His Imperial Highness, Prince Franz Barielle Aetherion?”
“….”
Vanitas’s brows twitched slightly. The pieces were starting to come together.
If a report had been sent from this place—a land owned by the Imperial Family—it would make sense for the Imperial Family to respond.
But they hadn’t.
But if there was someone to have intercepted those messages….
“Hm~? What is it~! What is it~!”
Vanitas was too exhausted to think things through.
Serve under Franz?
That was basically game over. A bad ending.
But refusing an offer in his current state? That could mean death.
The man standing before him wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate him. Too many problems were piling up already.
Being under Franz’s radar alone was a death sentence to him. If he had the strength, he’d kill this man and erase all traces. But right now, he could barely move.
Rustle—
The sound of footsteps echoed through the forest, followed by a distant scream.
——Professor!
“Ah, looks like that’s my cue,” the man said with a grin. “You didn’t refuse, so I’ll be in touch soon~!”
Just as he turned to disappear into the darkness, he paused.
“Hm?” He looked down, noticing faint threads of mana emanating from the daggers Vanitas had scattered earlier. They had latched onto him.
He turned back to Vanitas, eyes narrowing. “What do you want? Hurry, before they find me!”
Vanitas stared at him for a moment, then weakly shook his head.
“You….”
A chilling bloodlust filled the air.
Vanitas knew what it meant. He had refused the offer, and now, he would be silenced.
He had seen the man’s face, after all. And he knew exactly what Franz was capable of.
It didn’t take a genius to realize Franz was behind everything.
“Huh?”
The man’s eyes widened in confusion.
“Why can’t I….”
He couldn’t move.
“Ukh!”
———!
His body slowly crouched lower and lower under an invisible force, as if an immense weight was pressing down on him. The sickening sound of bones cracking echoed through the forest.
It was obvious who was behind it.
“Vanitas!”
Turning his head, Vanitas saw Charlotte rushing toward him. Behind her, Astrid stood with wide, glaring eyes with her hand extended forward.
She was using her telekinesis to pin the man down.
It had to be said—university students were by no means weak.
Graduating high school was already enough for most mages to pursue a career in magic—such as adventurer, mercenary, and so on.
The real difference was in combat experience. A mage who only knew simple combat spells but had real battle experience could overpower a scholar who had spent years theorizing without any real combat, depending on the circumstances.
University focused on advancing magic studies and specialization, but not everyone needed that level of education.
Some just wanted to hone their practical skills, while others sought to leave their mark in history by creating new spells.
Magic was vast, and anyone skilled enough could become a weapon.
Even a simple spell like Windblade was powerful if used correctly.
That’s why most mages dedicated themselves to mastering specific spells. To improve their casting speed, refine their efficiency, and maximize their power.
However, this logic of difference only applied to those who could be measured.
There were beings, like the Great Powers, who existed beyond such comparisons. They followed their own standards. Ones that set them apart from everyone else.
Cr— Crack!
The man groaned as his bones cracked one after another. Then, his groans turned into a tearing sound that seemed to echo from his throat.
Just as Astrid was about to snap his neck….
“Stop.”
Vanitas, struggling to move, pushed himself forward. He stepped past Charlotte and grabbed Astrid’s wrist.
———!
One of the daggers he had left behind lifted from the ground, slicing through the air and striking the man down before Astrid could kill him.
“….”
Astrid took a shaky breath as Vanitas gently lowered her trembling hand.
“Why….” she muttered.
“There’s no need for you to dirty your hands.”
Astrid looked at him, her lips quivering. Vanitas remained expressionless, unsure why she was reacting this way. He didn’t even know how they had found him here in the first place.
Thud!
Before he could say anything else, his body finally gave in. He collapsed onto the cold, wet ground, the rain clearing as suddenly as it had come.
* * *
Franz opened his eyes as a rush of memories flooded his mind. One of his puppets had been destroyed.
“….”
Astrid had done it. She had killed the puppet disguised as a servant in Mori Forest.
“Ha.”
He let out a dry scoff. Who would have thought Astrid had it in her to act with such raw control and anger?
Franz had puppets everywhere—within the Imperial Family’s inner circles, even inside the Imperial Palace itself.
He had slowly established himself in Mori Forest as a servant over the past few years.
Aware of the secrets hidden within the forest’s outskirts, he had planned to set up a scenario that would push Astrid to her limits when she eventually visited.
But to his surprise, things didn’t go as expected.
Someone else had stepped up and done what Astrid was supposed to do.
“Vanitas Astrea.”
He had seen everything. The speed, the efficiency, the way Vanitas used the terrain to his advantage, and those drugs he relied on just to keep up with the Archdemon.
“He rejected my offer though.”
Vanitas had probably rejected the offer due to the bubbly personality the puppet had. It wasn’t his fault.
These puppets were more or less driven to their instincts—yet all operated under one hive mind. Even Franz wasn’t sure where his real body was.
But Franz wasn’t the type to give up easily.
Vanitas Astrea was exactly the kind of person he was looking for.
“I see the appeal now.”
For now, Franz decided to wait. Once news spread about Vanitas taking down an Archdemon, his name and market value would skyrocket. People would be talking about him for days.
“Ah, fuck—!”
The backlash from losing one of his puppets was setting in.