Chapter 73: Those Who Can Never Be Forgiven (24)

When was the last time he used Charm Eyes?

The first place he had opened his eyes was a dark underground chamber, dimly lit by flickering candles.

Strange people, dressed in unfamiliar robes, gazed at him in awe.

A Hero?

What kind of nonsense was that?

That thought lasted only a moment.

As he listened to their explanations, Baek Minjun quickly realized that this world was a game.

An introduction to the world.

His duties as the Hero.

One by one, heroines gathered around him.

It all felt like a lie, yet every word was true.

And if he was the protagonist of this world, then what was there to hesitate about?

A life where he could take whatever he wanted, without interference or guilt—it was perfect.

But when was it that Charm Eyes stopped being a sweet dream and turned into a nightmare?

Baek Minjun sat perched on a tree branch, peering through the telescope Diana had given him.

His gaze fixated on Sera, who stood far away.

Her brown hair fluttered in the wind.

Beneath the black cape poncho, glimpses of her fair skin and clothing were visible.

Her chest—not too large, not too small—was exactly his type.

Yeah. That woman—she was supposed to be mine.

Before Diana had fully embraced corruption, she had once held a similar color in her eyes.

Yet because of her, Baek Minjun had been summoned earlier than intended—before the game’s official starting point.

Since morning, he had not once taken his eyes off Sera.

His body trembled slightly from the prolonged surveillance.

The dark energy surrounding him continued to taint the tree, repelling all life in the vicinity.

Without Charm Eyes and the Hero’s power, he had no choice but to gather magic crystals and cooperate with Lina.

It was disgusting.

The magic crystals—they were supposed to strengthen his Charm Eyes, yet he had been forced to waste them on this.

And now, there were barely any left.

Had he not memorized every route, every hidden path, and every secret of this game, this plan would have been impossible.

Collecting the magic crystals.

Extracting the gemstone where Lina slumbered.

Repeating that same process since the day he fled the kingdom.

Diana had certainly been a great asset.

Even cooperating with the demons had gone smoothly—though those bastards were probably plotting to betray him.

Not that it mattered.

You can’t be betrayed if you never trusted them in the first place.

From the distance, the faint sound of hymns reached his ears.

It was the final prayer—a monumental event.

A sacred hymn to commemorate it wasn’t unexpected.

Even the Elves, who had once been wary of Sera, now seemed to have accepted her.

But in the end—they were still Elves.

If things went south, they’d run away without hesitation.

Checking his wristwatch, he noted the time: 11:50 AM.

One of the few possessions he had managed to bring from the real world.

Though it was inferior compared to others, Baek Minjun firmly believed that a person’s worth was dictated by what they wore.

“Heh, watching a junior’s prayer has its own charm.”

Diana’s voice made Baek Minjun turn his head.

She stood there, still dressed in that ill-fitting nun’s habit.

She could still use divine power, meaning she hadn’t been completely forsaken by God.

Was that why she insisted on wearing that attire?

It was ironic, really.

The current Saintess, Sera, no longer wore her nun’s robes—yet Diana did.

In the distance, a rundown hut came into view.

A place where they had spent the night.

Dusty, on the verge of collapsing, but still better than sleeping on the ground.

Baek Minjun had no right to complain.

He spat on the ground, picturing that damned Elf’s face.

A fool.

Throwing away his race, his world, all for some queen.

That empty gaze reminded him of Diana’s, and Baek Minjun could never understand it.

“There’s something I’ve been curious about.”

“Why is the Demon King’s power still lingering in the White Mirage Forest?”

“…The Five Heroes weren’t strong enough to complete the seal.”

“So, the First Hero and Saintess borrowed the power of the Blessing of Life.”

Diana had approached him before he even noticed.

She casually placed a homemade sandwich in his hands.

Baek Minjun eyed her before reluctantly accepting the food.

It was half right and half wrong.

“Been a while, hasn’t it? Since you made something for me.”

“Really? Hehe, back then, I had feelings for you.”

“Though realizing they were fabricated was a bit of a shock.”

“Still, why did you rush things and try to take me back then?”

Diana set the plate on his lap and turned her gaze toward Sera, who was deep in prayer.

She had suffered through Charm Eyes more than anyone.

Falling for Baek Minjun without any reason.

Feeling compelled to be kind to him, to support him, to love him.

It had dominated her thoughts.

She had believed it was love.

And then, before she knew it—Baek Minjun had forced himself on her.

Of course, she had fought back.

She had cried, prayed desperately for salvation.

But all she received in return was violence.

Her body, though her mind remained clear, had responded to him.

That was the worst part.

Charm Eyes had left her mind intact—only her body was controlled.

And then, the final command—the order to never tell anyone.

Each day had been hell.

But in the end, she had resisted.

At least she could be grateful for that.

The others weren’t so lucky.

Most became tools for vagrants or broodmares for monsters.

And when Baek Minjun lost Charm Eyes, they had all taken their own lives.

A tragedy beyond words.

“I should’ve taken my time… put in more effort to win you over.”

“Men who dwell on the past aren’t attractive.”

“Heh. And the Elves?”

“Is the dark energy hidden well?”

“That bastard?”

Baek Minjun sneered.

“Annoying as hell, but efficient. The White Mirage Forest is practically overflowing with corruption now.”

“…Spectacular.”

Only ten minutes remained.

Soon, Lina would awaken completely.

Thanks to a certain Elf’s cooperation, everything had gone smoothly.

Before long, the White Mirage Forest would be entirely consumed in dark energy.

The World Tree would lose the Blessing of Life.

And when that happened…

The Queen of the Elves, Oberon, would finally awaken.

Maybe forever.

Maybe just to die.

It didn’t matter.

Her body had long been corrupted by dark energy.

The Holy Sword, the only thing capable of reversing it, had lost all power during the Demon King’s sealing.

Restoring it was nearly impossible.

Yet somehow, Oberon had survived all this time.

That was the real mystery.

“When the prayer ends, the contamination the World Tree has been suppressing will explode.”

“You know what to do with Sera, right?”

“Drop her in.”

“The Mage can’t protect her?”

“Not as long as she’s still jealous.”

The curse placed on Laura had ensured that.

Baek Minjun had no interest in mages or knights.

All that mattered was the Saintess.

Once the corrupted pit opened, Sera would be thrown into it.

Lina’s remaining power wasn’t divine—it was dark energy, designed to devour its host.

A battle of wills would follow.

But after 300 years of waiting, there was no way Sera could win.

And while they struggled—

Baek Minjun would take Kim Suhyeon’s body for himself.

“The only obstacle left… is her.”

As he ate his sandwich, he glanced at Diana.

Her attitude had been irritating him lately.

But it didn’t matter.

Not even she could stop him now.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

The sky darkened.

Sera’s final prayer had begun.