Chapter 34: It never disappears (5)

Under a starlit, tranquil night, the Hero quietly stepped out of the mansion and began walking through the streets.

The roads, usually bustling with people and illuminated by magical stones, were now empty and silent.

Clutching a small pouch in his hand, the Hero made his way toward the mansion where Sarah was staying.

‘Something feels off.’

That morning, Sarah’s behavior had been strange, no matter how he thought about it.

She staggered as if dizzy whenever she saw him, and while it could have been blamed on his unwanted hypnotic abilities, something about it felt fundamentally different.

Her remark about feeling as if something important was coming back to her lingered in the Hero’s mind.

He had erased all memories related to the Demon King.

There was no way she could know that his body harbored the sealed power of the Demon King.

Perhaps the divine energy within her body was weakening the effects of magic.

Worried, the Hero had secretly purchased a few tools.

Among them was a fine powder made from ground moonflower petals infused with mana.

This magical item allowed one to enter another’s dreams.

If something was truly wrong with Sarah, her dreams would undoubtedly reveal it.

Creak—

After walking for some time, the Hero opened the door to the otherwise empty mansion.

He had already informed the Nightheart family’s servants, ensuring that Sarah was the only person inside at this hour.

Since she had been given tea laced with a sleeping agent, she would surely be in a deep sleep.

Though he felt uneasy about it, he had no other choice.

If Sarah’s memories returned or if she were to succumb entirely to the Demon King’s power, he would lose her forever.

Whether it was the matter of his marriage to Laura or anything else, the Hero couldn’t shake the feeling that the harder he tried, the further away Sarah seemed to slip.

But he quickly shook off the thought.

Memories of Sarah came flooding back—the noble Saint, prepared to do anything to defeat the Demon King.

She was nothing like him.

How could someone so pure ever belong with someone like him, who had lived such a depraved life?

Even if his actions were the result of unwanted hypnotic abilities, it didn’t excuse him.

‘Liar. Hypocrite.’

That was how the Hero saw himself.

Hiding behind the excuse of “for Sarah’s sake,” he could only resort to underhanded methods.

Was there another Hero in the world as pathetic as him?

With a bitter smile, the Hero opened the door to Sarah’s room.

It was a modest room, devoid of lavish decorations, fitting for someone called a Saint.

On the bed, Sarah was tossing and turning in distress.

The bed and her pajamas were soaked with sweat.

As the Hero gently swept aside Sarah’s long hair, he began sprinkling the powder from the pouch.

The idea of sealing the Demon King’s power being this painful—it wasn’t something a fragile girl like her could handle.

As he thought this, the powder began to shimmer in the moonlight.

The Hero extended his hand toward the glow.

“What… is this?”

When he opened his eyes, the Hero found himself in an empty space.

Before him lay his own lifeless corpse, cold and still.

This was clearly Sarah’s dream, so why was he seeing this?

He couldn’t understand it.

“I can grant your wish… Accept me…”

A disturbing voice echoed as Sarah appeared beside the Hero’s corpse.

She looked as if she were hesitating, caught in deep thought.

The Hero quickly realized what was happening.

The Demon King’s power was showing Sarah repeated visions of the Hero’s death, tempting her to accept him.

It whispered promises of salvation, saying she could save him if only she sacrificed herself.

To someone who was ready to give up her own life for the world, taking her companion’s death as a hostage was a despicable move.

The Hero clenched his teeth.

“No, I won’t let that happen.”

“Hero…? How are you here?”

Sarah looked startled to see the Hero suddenly appear in her dream.

Without a word, the Hero gently pulled Sarah into an embrace.

“What… What is this!?”

“I’ll never disappear. So just wait a little longer. I’ll save you, no matter what.”

Sarah’s tone seemed a bit sharper than usual, but the Hero didn’t mind.

Even if it was just a dream, ensuring Sarah could rest peacefully was far more important.

“Interloper… Begone…”

The Demon King, dissatisfied with the scene, expelled the Hero from the dream.

The Hero’s vision began to blur and shift.

The magic imbued in the powder was now completely corrupted.

Sigh.

The Hero let out a breath, preparing to leave the room.

He had confirmed Sarah’s condition.

The memory-erasing magic Laura had cast remained intact.

Sarah wouldn’t be able to recall that the Demon King’s power was sealed within her.

When she woke, her memories would twist into whatever explanation was easiest for her to accept.

How would Sarah interpret that scene when she woke?

The Hero couldn’t stop worrying.

His gaze fell on a piece of paper lying on the desk.

“What the hell is that sweet-talking bastard!?”

Early in the morning, as I woke up in bed, the memory of the dream lingered vividly in my mind.

The Hero’s tender words as he held me close refused to fade away.

“I’ll never disappear. So just wait a little longer. I’ll save you, no matter what.”

What on earth did that mean?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure out the reason behind those words.

A headache throbbed in my skull.

What a garbage dream.

At first, the whispers tried to corrupt me, but then they started showing me visions of the Hero’s death.

The voice insisted that if I accepted it, it could grant me what I wanted.

Honestly, I was tempted.

Why?

If the Hero died, I wouldn’t need to worry about becoming a corrupted pawn.

That way, I’d have the chance to summon a second Hero, help him defeat the Demon King, and bring peace to the world.

What a beautiful story that would be.

I had been pondering whether the Hero’s hypnosis had planted such ideas when someone unexpected appeared before me.

The Hero, Kim Suhyeon—that damn bastard suddenly approached me.

And this time, it wasn’t with an air of hypnosis or deception.

It felt as though he was genuinely concerned for me.

I couldn’t comprehend what that meant.

“Crazy bastard… Not even a cheap romance movie would use lines like that.”

I got up and looked in the mirror, only to find my face flushed red.

The loud thumping of my heart echoed in my ears.

It felt similar to the trembling in the Hero’s hands when he unsheathed his sword without the gods’ blessing, determined to save me atop the Kaputa Plateau walls.

What the hell is this…?

Hypnosis?

Is this what Laura and Natalia felt?

That damn Hero is now invading my dreams too.

The effects of his hypnosis were stronger than I thought.

Even knowing the Hero’s vile nature, I couldn’t help but find him sweet in that moment.

How must the other heroines feel?

I’m doomed.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t think of a better word.

I had to accompany the Hero to the land of dragons soon, but with my heart already feeling this way, how could I possibly resist him?

Sigh.

If things were like this now, what would happen if the Hero consumed more demonic crystals?

Letting out a deep sigh, I closed my eyes tightly.

All I saw was darkness.

This was my future—pitch-black.

Just from seeing the Hero once in a dream, my will to resist hypnosis was already fading.

No, no.

It’s all fake anyway.

The Hero’s behavior wasn’t real.

There was no reason to waver now.

I needed to recall the countless times the Hero had stabbed me in the back.

I couldn’t let myself fall into corruption.

“I’m sorry. It seems I can only go this far.”

“I’ll never disappear. So just wait a little longer. I’ll save you, no matter what.”

Damn it.

I shouldn’t have let myself think about it.

No matter how hard I tried, I could only remember the Hero’s good side.

To be continued in the next chapter.