Chapter 106. The Great Will Called Responsibility (2)
Rain falls.
Rain falls in my heart.
Somewhere within the shell of my thoroughly soaked heart, another me whispers softly.
That they are the most important to you,
That only they are the most precious to you.
"......"
But I cannot follow that voice. I must not listen to it.
Because that is not what my loyal followers would want. They would never wish for such a weak decision from me.
'...'
The Witch of Melody, Artanis, lifted her head.
And stared straight at Kim Jangcheol.
'.....'
Yes.
This is my choice.
This is my long-cherished wish.
This alone must be the right path.
The options that had shaken me, that had tried to sway me just moments ago, were nothing but illusions.
'......'
A choice between two options?
Nonsense.
To use the power of melody, which can only be sung once while bound to the seal artifact, and in exchange be forever unable to undo the seal?
Just to save my loyal followers?
The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced there was no real choice to be made.
'......'
Because I am not weak.
And neither are my loyal followers.
No matter what it takes, we must break the seal artifact and reclaim the power of melody. That alone has been our long-cherished goal and wish.
That alone is the purpose that I and my loyal followers have long desired.
So.
'.....I'm sorry.'
The Witch of Melody glared at Kim Jangcheol with resolute eyes. The more sorry she felt toward him and her followers, the more determined she became.
Thanks to that, Kim Jangcheol snapped back to his senses.
'........'
Damn it.
He had originally been in a daze.
It was because he had faced the powerful will of the three loyal followers conveyed through their melody, and had struggled to resist it, to survive somehow.
The instinct to live.
The will that had risen from it.
He had just begun to truly feel the weight of that enormous responsibility.
But suddenly, a strange chill crept up. A feeling, as if someone's intense gaze was burning into him.
That sharp sensation pulled him out of his unconsciousness, and he opened his eyes. Thanks to that, he could meet Artanis' gaze.
The moment he saw her eyes, he understood.
'This woman, she sees now as her chance.'
Because he couldn't move.
Now was the opportunity.
She was coming, with full intent to rip out his heart.
'Shit!'
Panic set in.
His mind started racing.
'Think. Think, Jangcheol.'
Right now, he was unable to move. He and the three loyal followers were mutually bound by the melody they were playing. A way to break it? He still didn't know.
But that terrifying woman was clearly showing her intent to rip out his heart, and she was already just a few steps away.
So the way to survive here?
Maybe, just one.
'Let's try it.'
The one and only possibility he could think of. The moment it came to mind, he opened the system window. He moved his gaze and selected the skill and option.
.... Ding-dong!
[You have selected the Mana Seed option skill,
[Nutrition Focus allows temporary redistribution of all stats into one single stat. (Usable once per day, duration of 10 minutes per use)]
[Please select the stat to focus nutrition on.]
'...Stamina!'
He shouted.
The response came immediately.
Ding-dong!
[The Mana Seed option skill,
[All stats of the body you control, that of Credos, have been converted to 'Stamina'.]
[Due to the influence of Mana Seed (Seed Stage Lv.4), all stats are amplified by 1.4 times.]
[Currently Applied Stats]
[Stamina: 274.4]
[All Other Stats: 1.4]
[Remaining active time of Nutrition Focus option: 9 minutes 59 seconds]
...Whoosh!
In that moment, his whole body heated up and energy surged through him. At the same time, an indescribable vitality filled his entire body.
At that moment—
Shhhrreeek—!
Suddenly, a sound like the air itself was being torn rang out.
Artanis' hand pierced through the wall of melody and came rushing in mercilessly!
Splat!
"...!"
It hurt.
It burned.
Was his chest pierced?
Was it like getting shot?
Thankfully, it wasn't that.
The startled expression in Artanis' eyes, as she looked at him, said it all.
That the strike she just launched had somehow been endured by this body—thanks to the massive HP now fueled by that bloated stamina stat.
'.......'
What is this?
Artanis looked back and forth between her right hand and Kim Jangcheol's chest with a puzzled gaze.
Honestly, she was a bit shaken.
The opponent was defenseless.
She had struck with full force.
But her hand had failed to pierce his chest.
It had only caused a slight wound. All it did was etch a bit of pain into his expression.
"Kh, grrgh...!"
It must've hurt.
Yes, it definitely would.
But that didn't mean she would stop. If one thrust didn't pierce, then she would thrust again until it did. So—
"Wait! Do you know this?!"
Just as she was about to stab Kim Jangcheol's chest again,
He stared straight at her and quickly opened his mouth.
"If I die by your hand right now! Do you know your subordinates will die just the same?"
'...'
Of course she knew.
And yet she had to do it.
Because that was her long-cherished wish.
Because it must be what her loyal followers truly wanted.
So she...
"Don't tell me, you're doing this even knowing that?"
'........'
"So you are. You're doing this, even knowing."
'........'
"What's so urgent about this? Why must it be now? Why must you do this now? Even though your precious subordinates will all vanish?"
'........'
Artanis did not answer, simply held her posture as if to strike again, just staring at him.
Kim Jangcheol met her gaze.
With eyes that didn't blink once.
He stared straight at her and asked,
"Is there perhaps a specific reason why you must do this right now?"
There had to be.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be doing this even knowing that killing him would kill her subordinates too.
The pain from taking that last blow head-on—likely a deep bruise now forming—Kim Jangcheol endured it and worked his mind.
Then he spoke.
"Is there truly no other way than this?"
'......'
"I'm asking, does it really have to be this way?"
-...Yes.
At last, her hand wrote glowing letters in the air.
— The Marionette Song that bound, or rather, tried to bind you, was always like this. For the performance to be complete, the performer must stake everything. Thus, either they overwhelm the target and bind them one-sidedly, or fail and become mutually bound.
"What the hell..."
— It's just unfortunate that my subordinates failed to overwhelm you and got such a result.
"So, you're saying you'll kill them too?"
— There's no other way left. Even if we leave things as they are, my subordinates won't last more than a few minutes. Better a peaceful death now than the disgrace of what's to come.
Artanis pointed her hand at Kim Jangcheol's chest.
Kim Jangcheol, eyes bloodshot, raised his voice.
"No, I mean! Can't you just stop the performance?!"
— The only way to stop it is...
"I don't think this is the only way!"
—......!
Kim Jangcheol shouted.
No—he struck right at the heart of it.
Artanis' eyes widened dramatically.
'How did he... how did he know...'
.... Got it?
It felt as if her dirtiest secret had been exposed. As if the emotions she so desperately wanted to hide had been laid bare.
She was thrown into confusion.
'No way... does he, by chance, understand more about the seal artifact than I thought?'
Does he know, then, that even while bound to the seal artifact, I can sing just once? That with that song, I can calm my subordinates' performance? That I've been deliberately ignoring that possibility?
Maybe... maybe he really does know.
'........'
Of course, she didn't know.
She didn't know that Kim Jangcheol hadn't blinked even once while staring at her this whole time.
She didn't know that, as they talked, he had stalled for exactly 200 seconds, and then triggered the bloodshot eyes skill as the veins in his eyes burst, allowing him to see straight through her psyche.
Thanks to that, Kim Jangcheol understood.
'What the... this woman, this is the kind of choice she's facing?'
A binary choice.
To ignore the deaths of her subordinates and break the seal artifact.
Or to save her subordinates and remain bound to the seal artifact forever.
'What kind of absurd situation is this?'
He grit his teeth automatically.
If it were him, what choice would he have made?
Would he have easily chosen, "I will save my subordinates"?
'........'
He didn't know.
It's easy to say the noble choice with words.
But that only applies when it's someone else's problem.
Everyone is like that.
When it becomes their own issue, they change their stance like they never said otherwise. He wasn't an exception either.
However…
'What matters is, right now, this isn't my problem!'
He had his own standpoint too.
He had to survive first and foremost.
So whether it was a cruel choice or not—it wasn't his concern. To him, it was just a useful bait he could exploit as much as he wanted!
Slick!
Kim Jangcheol swiftly wet his lips with his tongue.
Then, making full use of the truths he had just uncovered with his bloodshot eyes, he began to speak.
"Were you surprised? No need to be. Truth is, I know more than you think, Lady Artanis. That song—you can sing it, just once, right?"
'...!'
Her eyes shook even more violently.
He didn't miss the opportunity.
He drove a spike into her conscience.
"So, in the end, are you choosing to abandon your subordinates?"
— No. I...
"Of course you are. Don't pretend otherwise."
— That's not what I...
"No matter how you try to dress it up, the fact doesn't change. If you kill me here and now, sure, you might break the seal artifact. But, Lady Artanis, you'll also forever lose the loyal subordinates who've followed you sincerely for over 300 years. Are you okay with that? Really?"
— Of course. That is our long-cherished wish.
"A long-cherished wish. To break the seal artifact and regain your true power?"
— Yes.
"And what will you do with that power once you have it?"
— Of course, I will use the power of melody to...
"So, you'll be left alone in a world where no one supports you, no one watches over you, and no one truly cares for you—just showing off your power?"
— ...What?
"Isn't that right? Besides those three subordinates, who else in this world sincerely supports you, watches you, or truly cares for you?"
— That's...
"Living alone in such a desolate world, just flaunting your strength—doesn't that sound... a bit too hollow?"
Kim Jangcheol asked.
Artanis' hand, which was about to respond, faltered.
— Hollow… you say?
"That's right."
— Why?
"I already told you. What's the point of having power, if there's no one left to care for, or protect, with that power?"
— But if I reclaim my strength...
"And when you do? What then?"
— ....
Kim Jangcheol asked with sincerity.
Artanis' hand came to a stop.
She had to answer.
She had to argue back.
But she couldn't.
She asked herself.
'If I… reclaim this power…'
If I become able to sing the melody again...
Then what?
She didn't know.
Even when she tried to think of what came next.
Even when she forced herself to.
Nothing came to mind.
No—something did.
'Everyone will once again fear me, hate me, and at the same time, revere me while trying desperately to avoid me.'
That's how it had been before. That was the only thing she thought was natural.
But…
'......'
Suddenly, she remembered.
That shabby tent roof.
The night she spent beneath it, holding a baby dragon in her arms. The warm, slightly odd sense of peace and fluttering heart she felt in that ordinary moment.
And the three loyal followers who silently watched over her.
'........'
She looked back at her three subordinates.
Still struggling to continue their broken performance.
Largo, Veloce, Andante...
They had stayed by her side for over 300 years. Even when she fell into the deepest despair, they never left her.
And yet, she had tried to give them up.
She had thought—rationalized—that they would want her to regain her power.
Had she, in truth, been trying to justify abandoning them forever?
And then—
"L...lady... please... that man..."
From Largo, who was nearly unconscious and could barely speak, came a faint voice.
So faint.
At first, she thought she had misheard it.
But she hadn't.
"Don't worry... about us... please... make your decision..."
"We're... really... fine…"
It wasn't just Largo.
From Veloce and Andante, too, came faint whispers, quiet pleas.
Telling her to act on what she believed in. To rip out that man's heart. That even if they died, it didn't matter. That if their deaths meant their master could achieve her long-cherished wish, then that alone was the greatest honor for them.
Their heartfelt truth reached her. She felt it.
And the moment she realized it—
"...Ah."
She spoke, without meaning to, with a voice she had suppressed for over 300 years. At the same time, a searing pain wrapped her whole body from the seal artifact.
But she didn't care.
Her mind was already made up.
From the moment she truly felt the sincerity of her subordinates, from the moment she realized what they meant to her, this was the only path left.
And so…
— ...I have a favor to ask of you.
She inscribed words into the air with her hand.
And turned to Kim Jangcheol, making a request disguised as a plea.
— Soon, the binding melody that has tied my subordinates and you together will be lifted. But once the melody is undone... I will lose my sanity due to the backlash of violating a taboo and rampage like a monster until all my strength is drained.
"...What?"
— But my subordinates, stubborn as they are, won't leave my side even in that state. That would put them in danger. So I beg you. Please, hide them somewhere safe. You too—run away with them, and get far away. Please.
"......"
Kim Jangcheol's eyes widened.
In that moment, as a sorrowful smile faintly crept into her eyes, and her three subordinates tried to cry out in protest—
She began to sing the first and last melody of her life within the seal artifact.