Chapter 41: That Which Cannot Be Inherited (7)

Carrying the sleeping Sera out of the annex, I heard the steady sound of footsteps.

Through the dim light of lanterns, Natalia’s figure emerged.

For someone as diligent as her, it was far too late an hour.

She must have been looking for Sera when she realized she wasn’t in her room.

Natalia spotted me and greeted me with a wide smile.

“Hero! Were you with Sera? I was worried something might have happened…”

“Yeah, she seemed a bit unwell. Could you take her back and let her rest without waking her?”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

It was a relief to entrust Sera to Natalia. With her, there was nothing to worry about.

Besides, I wasn’t ready to face Sera after what had happened.

Her body holds the sealed power of the Demon Lord, but I erased the memory of that fact.

So how could Sera have pieced together everything? It defied reason.

There was one small clue that lingered in my mind.

In Sera’s room, I had found a small piece of paper.

The ink had smudged, making the writing hard to decipher, and it looked like it had been scrawled in a frantic state of mind.

There was only one plausible explanation for it.

A divine revelation.

If God had used Sera as a vessel to impart knowledge otherwise unknowable, then that would mean Sera’s fate was sealed—she was destined to die.

“Natalia.”

“Yes?”

“If… if Sera doesn’t wake up tomorrow morning, would you attend the wedding alone on her behalf?”

“…I understand. I’ll do as you ask.”

Natalia didn’t question my strange request, showing her usual thoughtfulness.

She was the kind of ally one could rely on in desperate times.

Yet, hiding the events from her made me feel a twinge of guilt.

Sera had claimed she came from the same world as me—a world without magic, a world that included South Korea.

Looking back, there were plenty of clues.

Her brown hair was a common color back in Korea, and her dark eyes were rare in this world.

It made sense that Sera might truly be from the same world as me.

But it still left questions.

The way Sera had spoken—angrily declaring that her true personality wasn’t as composed as her saintly facade—was more like someone venting years of pent-up frustration.

Maybe it was the Demon Lord’s influence, but I decided not to dwell on that for now.

When Sera uttered the word “life” in that trembling voice, it was clear she felt like she was on the brink of death.

She had resigned herself to her role as a saint, accepting that she had no other choice.

After sending Natalia off, I stared quietly at the moon.

Two moons hung in the sky

. What did Sera feel when she saw this world?

Sera was like a saint personified—calm, soothing others with her voice, always polite and considerate.

In every way, she seemed perfect.

But perfection is a facade. No one is truly perfect. No matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who sees your flaws.

Perfection is something you aim for but can never truly achieve.

If someone appears perfect, it’s because they’re wearing a mask, hiding their true self.

That must have been the case for Sera, too—she had willingly worn the thorny crown of being a saint.

If that were true, then her harsh words and blame made complete sense.

If someone said they didn’t enjoy even a moment of being summoned to this world, it would be a lie.

I had been welcomed warmly by every nation, hailed as a hero by people on the streets.

Every day, my power grew visibly stronger, and I could wield magic and swordsmanship that didn’t exist in my original world.

I pledged my life to save this world, but I can’t deny that being called a hero felt good.

But what about Sera? She came from the same world as me, yet she had never fought before. She had worked tirelessly to live up to the title of “saint.”

“I don’t want to die, but what choice do I have? I hate the idea of being corrupted even more. I’m a saint, after all…”

Sera’s words echoed in my mind. No one wants to die.

And yet, Sera was prepared to face death to protect the world and resist the Demon Lord. All to uphold the name of the saint.

“I need a Hero to defeat the Demon Lord, not someone like you!”

She was right. To her, I must have seemed like someone enjoying this world while she suffered.

After all, I erased her memories, snuck into her dreams, and manipulated her life.

But one thing was certain: no matter how unworthy a Hero I was, I couldn’t accept a world where Sera had to die.

Even if she couldn’t understand it, I didn’t want to defeat the Demon Lord at the cost of someone’s life.

Tomorrow was the day of my wedding to Laura.

It was also the day I would meet Selene, the great mage and one of the Five Heroes, the queen of the Dragonkin.

Learning to control the cursed magic was my only option.

That’s why, for the first time, I used my enchanted eyes of my own will. I needed to keep Sera asleep until tomorrow.

Even so… I never thought I’d meet someone from the same world.

If there was any small comfort, it was the realization that Sera and I were from the same place.

Her dazzling beauty had obscured the truth, but she was just like me.

For the first time, I felt a genuine connection in this world. I wasn’t alone anymore.

The day of the wedding began in a flurry of activity.

Servants bustled about, preparing for the ceremony, while others attended to Laura and me, ensuring we were properly dressed.

It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but I kept my smile steady.

This was a significant day, especially for Laura.

I couldn’t let myself show any sign of discomfort.

“You look beautiful. Truly.”

“Thank you…”

It’s said that the Dragonkin wear clothes matching their hair color as their ceremonial wedding attire.

Thus, Laura’s outfit was entirely white adorned with black accessories, while mine was black embroidered with white patterns.

Our wedding garments symbolized the blending of our colors.

It felt fitting for a ceremony centered on the exchange of blood and vows.

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“Selene.”

As we finished our preparations and stepped out of the annex, a woman I had never seen before awaited us.

Supported by elderly attendants, she appeared frail.

Laura immediately recognized her and addressed her as Selene.

This was Selene, the queen of the Dragonkin and the great mage known to possess knowledge of all the world’s mysteries.

Taken aback, I quickly offered a formal greeting.

“There’s no need for that. It’s I who made the request.”

Why had the queen, who had remained unseen these past few days, suddenly appeared?

Though curious, I refrained from asking.

The queen, observing me in silence, continued speaking.

“…Apologies. As you can see, my condition makes it difficult to appear publicly.”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t dare…”

“Do not worry. The wedding procedures have been simplified as much as possible, and I have no intention of breaking my promise.”

Her words seemed to address my unease directly, offering reassurance.

She didn’t appear to be lying.

And even if she were, I had the Enchanted Eyes to uncover the truth.

Thankfully, there seemed to be no need to use them.

“Laura, I can only offer you my apologies. In my state, I cannot pass on the legacy of the Dragon’s Soul.”

“It’s fine.”

“…I see. That’s good. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to speak with the Hero alone. Could you excuse us?”

“…Alright.”

Laura hesitated momentarily but ultimately left with the attendants.

Once she was gone, the queen cast a soundproofing spell without any preamble.

“Do you know how to save a body corrupted by miasma?”

“I do not. That’s why I’ve come to Ederne.”

“Is that so? Then let me get straight to the point: there is no way to save a body corrupted by miasma through normal means.”

There’s no way to save it?

For a moment, I thought I misheard her, but she had spoken clearly.

Why? Was she lying?

If she didn’t provide a solution, Sera…

“Enough. I told you, I do not break promises.”

The queen furrowed her brows slightly after glancing at my Enchanted Eyes, then continued speaking before I could respond.

“Listen carefully. There is no way to save a body corrupted by miasma. The individual will continually face the Demon Lord’s temptations, and sooner or later, their body and soul will be consumed. If you wish for salvation, normal means are useless.”

“Then… how?”

“Sacrifice. You must sacrifice something of great value. The Hero and the Five Heroes were all corrupted by miasma, but none of them succumbed to it.”

It’s said that the Hero 300 years ago gave up all his power and everything he had gained in this world to return to his original world.

That was his chosen sacrifice.

Queen Selene sacrificed the legacy of the Dragon’s Soul, which had been passed down for generations.

That’s why she claimed there was nothing she could pass on to Laura.

The archer, the thief, the knight, and even the saint—there were no tales of them falling to miasma and becoming tools for the Demon Lord’s revival.

They must have made their own sacrifices.

The queen, as she spoke, seemed to ask what I was willing to sacrifice.

In the past, I would have declared that I’d sacrifice everything without hesitation.

But after witnessing Sera choose sacrifice in front of me, I found it impossible to say those words easily.

Sacrifice might bring me peace, but it would leave those left behind with unbearable pain.

Having learned that bitter lesson, I couldn’t bring myself to cause sorrow for Laura, Natalia, or Sera.

“You’re wise. You are not someone who should be sacrificed lightly.”

The queen reached out to pat my head, her smile kind and maternal, as if praising a child.

“I’ve lived long enough. For the Hero and the saint, I would gladly lay down my life. So, after the wedding, bring the saint here.”

She imprinted a location within the palace into my mind.

Then, as if her earlier gentleness had never existed, she returned to her commanding demeanor and spoke quietly.

“When all is done, tell Laura I’m sorry.”